Mrs. Janet Pierce Pennington

Janet (Pierce) Pennington, 88, wife of William “Bill” Pennington, of the Keowee Key Community, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Darby, Pennsylvania, Jan was the daughter of the late Howard and Olive Childs Pierce. Her early years were spent in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, where she met the love of her life, Bill, in the first grade. They dated in high school, married shortly thereafter and have remained inseparable ever since. Jan was a high school basketball player, head majorette of the Chichester High School Marching Band and had a spirit for adventure. She could even be spotted on an old reel of American Bandstand with Dick Clark, where she and her girlfriends would sneak in a road trip to the big city of Philadelphia for a chance to dance on the bandstand stage. Bill and Jan raised their family in Wilmington, Delaware. They enjoyed summers boating on the Chesapeake Bay and weekends with cousins at Jan’s family cottage in Hazelmoor. Jan and Bill moved with their three daughters to Apple Valley, Minnesota in 1976. She began a long career as a flight attendant with Delta (Northwest) Airlines, where she shared her warmth all over the world for over 33 years. After her daughters were grown, she and Bill moved to Wheaton, IL, where they spent 14 years as members of Wheaton Bible Church, and enjoyed being a block away from their two oldest grandchildren. In 1998, Jan and Bill made one of the best decisions of their lives, choosing to retire at Lake Keowee, South Carolina. Over the past 28 years of life in this wonderful community, they thrived on the water and shared their beautiful home with many family and friends. Their kids and grandkids loved to gather together for a week to swim, play dock tag, eat Jan’s amazing homemade blueberry pies and go on boat rides, complete with tubing in tow. Jan loved to play games and was the most loving and joyful hostess, welcoming all who came to visit with open arms. She was a faithful member of Utica Baptist Church, where she and Bill attended weekly and he watched her love for singing in the choir. Jan was a selfless, classy lady who shared a contagious joy for living well. Her love for Jesus came through in her warm smile offered to everyone she met and we’re certain her light is shining bright in heaven. Jan and Bill have enjoyed 69 years of a beautiful marriage, or as we lovingly like to refer to it, “domestic tranquility.” In addition to her husband, Jan is survived by her daughters and their families: Lori Pennington (Mike), Sue Ranck (Bob), and Joy Johnson (Jeff); sisters: Sandy Pierce (Tommy), and Connie Ryals; grandchildren: Christina Pennington (Cam), Becca Pennington (Chris), William Leeper (Taylor), Casey Smith (Reed), Jack Leeper, Carly Johnson, Cameron Johnson and Amy Scoggins (Chris); and great-grandchildren: Kaleb, Ethan, Ian, Finn, Ellie, and Remi. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Utica Baptist Church, 4056 Wells Hwy, Seneca, SC 29678, or by visiting the following link https://www.uticabaptist.com/giving A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Mrs. Janet Pierce Pennington

October 12, 1937 - March 17, 2026