Janet Lee Wilkinson Pennington
Janet Lee Wilkinson Pennington, 90, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2024. She was born in Warnock, OH on April 4, 1934, to the late Erma Alfreda McFarland Wilkinson and the late William Harold Wilkinson. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 40 years, Mr. Clifton “Cliff” Ray Pennington. She is survived by her first husband and father of her two daughters, Mr. C. Norman Jones.
Jan graduated from St. Clairsville High School and the Ohio State University with a B.S. degree in business education. She taught business for two years at Ashville High School (Teays Valley H.S.) in Ashville, OH. She married C. Norman Jones in 1955. After her two daughters were born, she became a stay-at-home Mom for 17 years and active in her church. When moving to Danville, VA, she taught in the Adult & Continuing Education Center for 23 years. She took many post graduate classes. She married Clifton Pennington in 1983. Her greatest passion, in addition to her family, was jail ministry- teaching Bible study to the ladies at the Danville City Jail and the Annex through Good News Jail & Prison Ministry for 40 years. She also served as leader of the Chaplaincy Support Team for Chaplain David Abernathy. Jan loved her church home at Hopewell United Methodist Church, and more recently, First United Methodist Church in Martinsville, VA. She taught the Women’s Bible class for years, was president of the UMW, sang in the choir, was a trustee, lay leader, on the Administrative Council, and many other committees. She loved living on a farm with all the animals, and she and her husband loved horses, riding, and driving. She liked to read and listen to music.
Jan is survived by two daughters; Amy Meredith (Rob) and Christine Fields (Brian); one step daughter; Pat Shelton; two sisters; her twin sister Joan Wilson (Rolland) and Carol Anne Notestine; a brother; Richard Harold Wilkinson and partner Barbara Conley; four grandchildren; Heather Bray (Sam), Megan Blair (Brian), Kaylee Fields, and Hannah Fields; four great grandchildren; Caleb Bray, Hadleigh Bray, Braylee Blair, Shelton Blair; one step grandchild; Nick Meredith; and many dearly loved nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husbands and parents, Jan was predeceased by a sister and brother in law; Marilyn and Sid Voris; a sister in law; Linda Wilkinson; and a step grandson; Justin Tucker.
The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to either Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, P.O. Box 451, Blairs, VA 24527 or to Mountain Valley Hospice, 240 Commonwealth Boulevard West, Unit 602B, Martinsville, VA 24112.
Funeral services will be held on July 5, 2024 at 11:00am at Norris Mt. Hermon Chapel, 3995 Franklin Turnpike, Danville, VA 24540, with Pastor Faith Weedling officiating. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Burial Park, Chatham, VA. A visitation will be held on the same day prior to the service from 10-11:00am also at Norris Mt. Hermon Chapel.
Norris Funeral Services, Inc. & Crematory, Mt. Hermon Chapel, Danville, VA is respectfully serving the Pennington family. Online condolences may be made at www.norrisfuneral.com.
