MARGARET GRACE PENNINGTON Mrs. Margaret Grace Cannon Pennington, R.N., 88, beloved wife of longtime Lincolnton physician, the late Weems Rufus Pennington, Sr., passed away Friday, November 7, at her home.

In addition to her husband, a daughter, Penny Pennington, preceded her in death.

The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Monday, November 10, at the Lincolnton United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dave Hinson officiating.

Interment followed in the Lincolnton City Cemetery.

The daughter of Grady and Vera Griffin Cannon of Gordon, Georgia, Mrs. Pennington was born on March 22, 1920. Her mother died when [Margaret] was 2 weeks old.

Raised by her maternal grandmother, she graduated from Smith High School in Twiggs County, Georgia, and received her nursing degree in 1941 from the Macon Hospital School of Nursing.

She met her future husband there while he was serving his internship at Macon General Hospital and followed him to Spartanburg, S.C. where the two worked at a hospital there.

On December 17, 1942, during World War II, she married Weems, the love of her life, when he was a flight surgeon in the Army Air Corps.

The couple moved to Lincolnton in 1946 where Mrs. Pennington worked alongside her husband for many years. When her three children were born, she gradually left nursing and became a full-time mother and a tireless, dedicated community service volunteer.

She still, however, found time to assist her husband as he delivered over 3,000 babies in 40 years.

She was a Girl and Boy Scout leader, Cub Scout leader, officer in the Lincolnton Garden Club, member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Charter Member of the 194th American Legion Auxiliary, Lincoln County Historical Society, a faithful member of the Louise Rees Missionary Circle and Methodist Guild, Lincolnton United Methodist Church, and a devoted member, along with her dear friends, of the "Variety Club."

A kinder woman one could never meet as evidenced by the legion of friends from every walk of life who admired, loved and cared for her.

When asked to describe their mother, her son and daughter agreed she was a very special lady.

"How can you possibly sum up your mother in a few sentences?" lamented her son Weems, Jr. "She was loving, down-to-earth, and generous. She'd give you the shirt off of her back. I've seen her literally give her last dime to a family who needed it." Weems added that though she was kind and loving she was determined as well.

"Mama was loving but she was determined, too. She wouldn't let people run over her and especially not over her family."

Daughter Peggy nodded in agreement. "Mama was so many things. She was understanding, selfless, funny, kind, intelligent, talented, and of course, most of all, she loved and cared dearly for her family. I guess you could just name every positive adjective you could think of and— well, that was our mama."

She is survived by a son, Weems R. Pennington, Jr., M.D. and wife Carol; a daughter, Peggy P. McMillan and husband Daniel; grandchildren Don Pennington and wife Cheryln; Weems Pennington, III, M.D., and wife Adair; Carey Pennington and wife Laura; Jeff, Allison, and Mark McMillan; and nine great-grandchildren: Weems Pennington, IV, and Maggie Pennington; Cardy and Perrin Pennington; Chase and Rex Pennington; and Josh, Holly, and Nolan McMillan.

Pallbearers were Weems R. Pennington, Jr., Daniel McMillan, Don Pennington, Weems Pennington, III, Carey Pennington, and Bob Parks.

Serving as honorary pallbearers were: Wyatt Albea, Thomas Dawkins, Charles Estes, Murray Norman, Buddy Radford and Ben Ross.

If so desired, donations may be made to the Lincolnton United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 85, Lincolnton, GA, 30817.

You may sign the family's online guestbook at www.rees-funeral home.com.

Rees Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements