William Vancil “Van” Penrod

William Vancil “Van” Penrod, 84, died on Nov. 18, 2016. He was born on May 23, 1932, the son of William and Roxie Penrod, and he grew up near Dongola. He accepted Christ as his personal savior as a teenager at Friendship Baptist Church.

He attended the University of Illinois from 1950 to 1955, receiving a degree in electrical engineering. While president of the Baptist Student Union at the University of Illinois, he met Ruth Ann Parkhill and they married in 1954.

Upon graduation, he began employment with Union Carbide Chemical Company in Charleston, W. Va. Then came two years of active duty as an officer of the 70th Engr. Bn, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Germany. 

Returning to Union Carbide, he was an instrument engineer at the Taft Plant in Hahnville, La. Moving to Houston in 1972, he joined Biles and Associates. In 1977 he and friends formed Setpoint Inc. From 1984 to 1986, he served as vice president for Setpoint-Japan in Tokyo.

Throughout his life, Mr. Penrod was a devoted Baptist church member. He served as a deacon at Southside Baptist Church in Charleston, W.Va., First Baptist Church in Luling, La., Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, Tokyo Baptist Church in Tokyo, Japan, and Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.

Along with hunting and fishing, he enjoyed travel and meeting people. He traveled to every state, every continent and 54 countries.

His special interest was missions. He and Ruth ministered in Germany, Japan, Brazil, Venezeula, China, Singapore and Russia. In recent years they felt led to work at the West Houston Assistance Ministry in Houston, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his son, John Penrod. 

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ruth Parkhill Penrod and his sisters Myra Gore Holderfield and Ruth Unland; his four daughters and their husbands, Judy and Dale Troutt, Laura and Bill Samuel, Linda and Brad Brock, Barbie and Andy Smith, and former daughter-in-law Iris Williams Arnold. 

Grandchildren are Joshua and Kimmie Troutt, Will, Kate (and Cody Vasut) and Kris Samuel, Trevor (and Kathryn) Brock, Chaiss (and Kevin McConnell), Logan (and Spencer) Brock, Gentry (and Pravin Kanneganti), and Walker, Chloe and Cooper Smith. Great-grandchildren are Staples, Truett and Charlotte Brock, Ivy, Eli and Andie McConnell, Reagan Brock, and Esther, Olive, Leo and Iris Kanneganti.

A memorial service was held Monday, Nov. 28, at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Immediately following the service, the family received friends during a reception in the Deacon’s Parlor at the church. 

Memorials can be made to Second Baptist Church missions department, 6400 Woodway Dr., Houston, Texas.

Local services will be Monday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m. at Bethany Baptist Church in Cypress. Burial will be in the Friendship Church Cemetery near Dongola. Military rites will be conducted by the VFW’s Carroll P. Foster Post No. 3455 of Anna.

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
Email: news@annanews.com

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