- Date Of Birth: February 13, 1930
- Date Of Death: March 3, 2017
- State: Florida
LAKELAND – Eugene Erwin Pennell, 87, of Lakeland passed away February 3, 2017 with his family at his side. He was born February 13, 1930 in Reed City, Michigan to Fred E. and Lillian V. Anderson Pennell. While growing up he worked in his parent’s small-town movie theatres and held summer jobs ranging from fruit picking (strawberries, peaches, and cherries), harvesting wheat and oats, canning company labor, steel foundry labor, to essential oils quality control laboratory. Eugene graduated from Hartford High School and attended Benton Harbor (Michigan) Junior College, Western Michigan University (B. S. in Chemistry, 1952), Michigan State University (1952-53), University of South Florida (1969-72) and Polk Community College (1982-83).
Eugene served in the U.S. Army Chemical Corp in Korea from 1953-55. Eugene married his wife Louise on Thanksgiving weekend 1956 in Ohio during a snow blizzard. They moved to Lakeland in 1962 where he worked at IMC and CF Chemicals, Bartow (1962-83) and P.E. LaMoreaux Environmental Lab, Lakeland (1984-99). Eugene spent a total of 44 years working as an analytical chemist.
Eugene is survived by his wife Louise; sons, Dan (Paula) Pennell and Matt Pennell of Lakeland, FL; daughter Penny (John) Wood of Eagle, Idaho; grandsons Adam and Ryan Pennell of Lakeland, FL and Ian Wood of Eagle, Idaho; brother, Gary Pennell of Boise, Idaho; sister, Laura Hoke of McClure, Pennsylvania.
