Sharon Leigh Smith Pennell

Dr. Sharon Leigh Smith Pennell, of Norwood St., Lenoir, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Saturday, May 6, 2010, following a lengthy illness. She was born Sept. 1, in Pulaski, Va., to the late John W. Smith and Dorothy Bishop Smith. Dr. Pennell was chairman of the Caldwell County Board of Education. She served on the Board of Education for the past 26 years. She was a professor of communications at Appalachian State University for 24 years. She began her career in education as a teacher at Bunker Hill High School where she was the Southern Speech and Communications Association Speech Teacher of the Year in 1977. She also coached other high school debate teams and served as a forensics competition judge. She was the 1978 Speech Teacher of the Year. She was on the Tarheel Forensics League in 1987-88 and was recipient of the league?s Mildred Huffey Award as N.C. Speech Coach of the Year. She received the Governor?s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Forensics in 1988. She received the Lenoir Business and Professional Women?s Club Career Woman of the Year Award, the Caldwell County Distinguished Woman of the Year Award and was named the North Carolina Career Woman of the Year in 1992. In 1992, Dr. Pennell also received the William C. Lassiter First Amendment Award for openness in government and a state award in editorial writing from the N.C. Press Association. She was named to the N.C. School Boards Association All-State School Board in 1997. She published more than 20 articles on the state and national level. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Lenoir. She is survived by her loving husband of 40 years, Darrell Clayton Pennell of the home; a son, Steven Walter Pennell and wife Jenna of Hickory, two brothers, W. E. Rozzy Smith and wife Ann of Hudson; and Barry W. Smith and wife Priscilla of Lenoir; and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be Wednesday, May 12, at 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Lenoir with the Rev. Dr. David Smith and the Rev. Dr. Dennis Herman officiating. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Dr. Steve Stone, Bob Brady, Joe Gibbons, Rick Pennell, Brathel Poarch, and Nathan Key. Honorary pallbearers are the members of the Caldwell County Board of Education. The family will receive friends Tuesday, May 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Lenoir. Memorials may be made to the Dr. Sharon Pennell Scholarship for Teachers through the Caldwell County Schools Education Foundation, 1914 Hickory Blvd. S.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645 Online condolences may be sent to the Pennell Family at www.evansfuneralservice.com Evans Funeral Service & Crematory of Lenoir is serving the Pennell Family. PDF Printable Version