Roy Pennington

“It’s been a good ride”

Roy Pennington, 76, of Kingsport, went home to be with the Lord Monday, September 20, 2021, at Holston Valley Medical Center. Born in Newport, Arkansas on August 19, 1945, son of the late Roy Pennington, Sr. and Mary Louise Hodge Pennington, he has resided in this area since 1989, moving from Memphis. He married Rhonda Depew on October 15, 1988 in Memphis.

Sargent First Class, Roy Pennington, retired as a recruiter from the U.S. Army after 20 years of service, which consisted of two tours in Vietnam, where he received 2 Purple Hearts and was awarded a Bronze Star, for combat duty.

He was a member of Cedar Grove Baptist Church and a member of the Purple Heart Association. Roy felt blessed and honored by the families he came in contact with, during his 14 years as part of the family of Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home. He will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, dad, granddad-papaw, friend, and a “Harley guy” who lived and breathed motorcycles.

Roy is survived by his wife of 33 years, Rhonda Depew Pennington; daughters, Mistie Dawn Crocker and Scott of Olive Branch, MS, and Angela Renee Lovell of Dryden, VA; sons, Jason Pennington and girlfriend Karissa of Kingsport, and Randy Wells, Jr. of Dickson, TN; grandchildren, Jessica, Matthew, Taylor, BrookLynn, Leia, Richard, Randi, Ronnie, Briar, Olivia and Aiden; five great-grandchildren; special friends, Vince, Gary, Richard “Dick”, Pete, and Joe; and his pet, Tanner.

Memorial services will be at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, Kingsport with Pastor David Salley officiating. Burial will follow committal services at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to their granddaughter, BrookLynn Mosley.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fallen Soldiers Association or Veteran’s Army Museum.

The family would like to extend an invitation for those attending the Memorial Service to gather for food and fellowship at Cedar Grove Baptist Church, 125 Coley Street, Kingsport, TN 37660, following the services.