Ethel Mae Feazelle Pennington

Ethel Mae Feazelle Pennington , 92, of Beckley, WV passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 08, 2012 at Appalachian Regional Hospital in Beckley, WV surrounded by her loving family. Born June 19, 1919 at Cirtsville, WV she was the daughter of the late Charles Alexander and Mabel Christine Lafferty Feazelle. Ethel Mae graduated from Pax High School where she was a cheerleader and enjoyed being a pitcher on the softball team. As a teenager, Ethel and her sisters Evelyn and Mary sang on the radio as The Feazelle Trio. She enjoyed attending all of the Pax Reunions. Mrs. Pennington was especially proud of her lifelong career as a Registered Nurse. She graduated from the Kanawha Valley Hospital's Nurses Training program in 1943. Her father sold a cow for $75 which paid for three years of education at the hospital. During World War II she was an Army WAC nurse in training at the Greenbrier Hotel. In 1955, she was a part of the staff who opened the Miner's Hospital in Beckley (now Appalachian Regional Hospital.) She recalled that Eleanor Roosevelt and John L. Lewis drove by and waved at the staff who were lined up in front of the hospital as the motorcade drove past the new hospital. She went to work at Southern West Virginia Clinic and retired in 1978 after helping many patients throughout her career. After retirement, she was actively involved in the Beckley American Legion Post 32 and a member of Well I'll Bee. She enjoyed sharing her delicious home baked desserts and candies with her friends, neighbors, and grandchildren. Ethel loved doing volunteer work at the WV State Fair and attending numerous performance by country music stars. She enjoyed Tamarack, Friday's In The Park in Beckley and performances at the Clay Center in Charleston. Ethel loved life and was very proud of her family. Everyone she touched throughout her life loved her. She will be tremendously missed. In addition to her parents, Ethel was preceded in death by her siblings, Pvt. Charles A. Feazelle, Jr., Mary Evans, Billy Feazelle, Evelyn Hoskins and infant twin brothers, Melvin and Calvin Feazelle as well as an infant son, Wayne Pennington. Left to cherish her memory are her husband of 68 years, Henry Woodrow Pennington, two daughters, Patricia Snead of Charleston and Diana Jones and husband, Parker of Mt. Sidney, VA. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, five great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, a brother, Bobby Feazelle of Daniels and a sister, Betty Wilson of McLean, VA. Funeral and committal services will be on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 1:00 P.M. at Tyree Funeral Home in Mount Hope with Rev. Ronnie Stapleton officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to Hospice of Southern West Virginia, PO Box 1472, Beckley WV 25802. Online condolences may be sent at www.tyreefuneralhome.com Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope, WV