Kenneth Lloyd Penney

TYLER – Ken Penney (82) passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 7, 2021 at Hospice of East Texas surrounded by family. Ken was born in Rusk County to Floyd and Lena Penney on March 5, 1939 where he grew up on a farm that has been in the family since 1883. His family attended Sulphur Springs Missionary Baptist Church where he made the most important decision of his life to accept Jesus as his savior at the age of 12. Ken graduated from Laneville High School, Kilgore College, Lamar University (Industrial Engineering) and the University of North Texas (MBA). He married his high school sweetheart, Julia Kay Sitton in 1960 while they attended Lamar University and they recently celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.

Ken and Kay made many life-long friends in both college and while working for Boeing in Seattle, Washington and New Orleans, Louisiana. Ken was ordained as a deacon in 1964 at Suburban Baptist Church and served faithfully in every church they were members. Ken and Kay settled in Richardson, Texas where he worked for over 25 years at Texas Instruments and where they raised their two sons. Ken and Kay were members of Richardson Heights Baptist Church for 41 years. Together they started a Bride and Groom Sunday School class and guided many young couples through the early years of their marriages, always setting a great example.

After retiring in Tyler, Texas, they continued serving at Green Acres Baptist Church, leading several mission trips to put shoes on orphan children in Bulgaria. Ken also assisted a group of missionary builders on a project in Bulgaria, making a total of 9 trips over the years to assist Bulgarian Child. Ken’s last ministry was serving as a chaplain at UT Health in Tyler.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Joe and Pete Penney and a sister Margie Avery. He is survived by his wife, Julia Kay, sons Kent (Julie) of Rapid City, SD and Kyle (Jana) of Tyler, Texas and four grandchildren, Brianna Penney, James Penney, Juliana Penney and Kedren Penney. He is also survived by many loving in-laws, Billy Bob (Janelle) Sitton, Carroll Keith Sitton, Deb (Jerry) Jones and numerous nieces, nephews and dear friends.

Memorials may be made to the Kirk and Inez Sitton Scholarship at Stephen F. Austin State University or to support missions at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 11th in the Chapel at Green Acres Baptist Church with visitation in the church parlor at 9:30 a.m. Graveside services will be held the same day at Lyles Sanders Cemetery, Mt. Enterprise, Texas immediately following a viewing at Dickie-Allen Funeral Home in Cushing, Texas from 2-3pm. Memorials may be made to the Kirk and Inez Sitton Scholarship at Stephen F. Austin State University or to support missions at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler.

Above all else, Ken’s life desire was for others to know Jesus and follow God’s Word. His favorite verse was Ps. 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

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