Bessie Kathryn Nestor Pennington, age 100 years, a resident of Parsons, WV and more recently a resident of Cortland Acres at Thomas, WV departed this life early Friday morning, February 7, 2020 at Cortland Acres surrounded by her loving family.
She was born Thursday, September 4, 1919 at Bull Run, St. George, WV, a daughter of the late Waitman T. Willy and Virginia Murl Owens Nestor. On April 4, 1942 at Oakland, MD, she was married to Richard Franklin Pennington, who preceded her June 9, 1999. They had celebrated fifty-seven years of marriage.
Surviving are one son, Richard Burley Pennington and wife Rebecca of Fredericksburg, VA; three daughters, Rita Kathryn Witkowski and husband Stanley of Annandale, VA, Janice Fay Poling and husband James of St. George and Frances Carol Fluharty of Porters Falls, WV; three sisters, Virginia Thomas of Cortland Acres, Anna Getz of Morgantown, and Susan Poling of Kasson; five grandsons; James, Jr., Matthew and Joshua Poling and Lance and Ryan Witkowski; one granddaughter, Rachel Corinne Pennington; twelve great grandchildren, Sarah, Luke, Nathan, Owen, Clay, Jonathan, Grant, Nolan, Reece. Alex, Kate and Carolyn; and several nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death are five brothers, Leroy, Charles, Daniel, Allen and Clinton Nestor; and three sisters, Orpha Gainer, Maude Burns and Carrie Wizard.
She was a graduate of Parsons High School with the class of 1940, where she was at the top of her class, being an honor roll student, she was a speaker at the graduation ceremony. She was a homemaker. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church for seventy years and was a member of the Women’s Society at the church. She was employed at a boarding house for college students and later worked and assisted in the kitchen at WVU Women’s Hall. She was a seamstress, making quilts for all her children and grandchildren. She loved to cook, garden and her flowers, especially known for her dahlia’s. She loved to spend time with her family and friends.
The family received friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Parsons on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. Final rites will be conducted at the funeral home on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 11 a.m. The Reverend Larry Poling and The Reverend William R. Brown will officiate and interment will follow at the Nestor Cemetery at Bull Run, St. George, WV. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Bessie Kathryn Nestor Pennington. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com