Obituary: Pennell, Willard Greer
Age 93
The journey ended peacefully in the early hours of June 4, 2015 at Hospice House in Spokane.
The second of four children born to Jay Lawrence Pennell and Cornelia (Greer) Pennell, Willard started school in Endicott and moved with the family to Garfield after second grade to establish a dry land grain farm that still remains in the family four generations later.
An Eagle Scout, he graduated from Garfield with perfect attendance.
Willard met and married the love of his life in Garfield, Dorothy Haun, on November 25, 1945.
After the couple welcomed a son, Bruce, Willard answered a newspaper ad by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and interviewed in Seattle, where he was hired and sent as far from Whitman County as a farm boy could go: to Washington, D. C. for training in fingerprinting and the emerging technology of radio.
J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI transferred its personnel frequently, and the family spent time in Phoenix, AZ., and Seattle, where Connie was born.
But after a short stay in New York City, Willard realized that the wide open spaces of the Inland Northwest were preferable to the “asphalt jungle” of N.Y.C., so he resigned to return to Spokane.
He worked for Pacific N.W.
Bell Telephone Company in the “toll division” (early cell phone technology) until his retirement in 1987.
Dorothy developed Multiple Sclerosis at a very young age and Willard’s love was evidenced by his dedication to making her life the best it could be, despite the ravages of her illness.
Willard donated more than 25 gallons of blood to the INBC blood bank, shoveled snow off the sidewalks of all the neighborhood widows and served Meals On Wheels well into his 70s.
He was once honored as Senior Citizen of the Year due to his efforts to give of himself to others in areas of service.
Willard and Dorothy lived at Orchard Crest Retirement Community toward the end of their lives and many good friends were made among the residents and staff at that facility.
He found intellectual challenge in getting his Bachelor of Arts degree from Whitworth after 12 years of night school.
He graduated the same year that his son graduated from Eastern Washington University and daughter from Ferris H.S.
Willard was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his brother Tom and sister Jean.
He is survived by his children and their spouses - Bruce Pennell (Bonnie Whinnen) and Connie Christilaw (Robert Christilaw) - his sister Ilene Bruce (Albert), brother-in-law Sam Haun (Cheryl), and numerous nephews, nieces, grandchildren and step grandchildren.
Toward the end, Willard decided he did not want a memorial service, but would rather have a party in his honor.
To that end, his children are sponsoring a musical event at Orchard Crest Retirement Community, 222 S. Evergreen Rd.
on Friday, June 26th in the Gazebo at 7 p.m.
Please join us for our Dad’s favorite music, friendship and refreshments.
Memorial donations should be directed to Hospice House Spokane or the Multiple Sclerosis Society