Eleanor L. Penn

Eleanor L. Penn of Great Neck. On the morning of December 12, 1925 a beautiful, bright eyed, bouncing baby girl by the name of Eleanor Louisa was born to parents Cecilia De Toy King and James Emmanuel King. “Ellen” as she was affectionately called by family and friends was the 6th of 7 children, and the youngest girl, born in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. Eleanor grew up in St. Thomas with her siblings and attended Kindergarten to high school there. At age 17 Eleanor met the love of her life, Roland Penn while she was walking home from high school. She gushed when she saw him in uniform as he was in the United States Army but was shy. There chance encounter only lasted a few minutes, as she wouldn’t give her name or information. He tracked her down a month later and asked her parents permission to date and marry her. Eleanor and Roland, affectionately known as “Penn,” had 5 children 2 sons and 3 daughters, Antonio Alfonso (whom died in infancy), Lucita, Alvin, Lorraine and Lynette. She is also stepmother to Ashley. As a young woman, she fearlessly would row a boat to the neighboring island of St. John; United States Virgin Islands where she worked in a resort for 8 hours and upon completing her shift would row back to St. Thomas. This showed the tenacity of a warrior and ultimately developed her signature strong arms she was well known for her entire life. In 1948, at age 23, Eleanor moved to New York ahead of her husband Roland and the children for a better life and to attend nursing school. Upon completion, she obtained her first nursing job and then sent for her children along with her husband, one by one, until they were all with her residing in Manhattan. They eventually settled in the Bronx where they remained for approximately 3 years. Eleanor was initially a member of the Anglican Church. In a quest for a bible teaching church and one where her children could receive proper instruction came by way of a neighbor and a Godly woman who introduced her to the Adventist message and eventually invited her to a tent effort. It was there that she was baptized in 1952. She then became a member of the Bronx SDA Church and in 1956 became a homeowner along with her husband and moved to St. Albans, Queens formerly known as Long Island. Eleanor then transferred her membership to the Linden Boulevard SDA Church and as the church moved to its new home in Laurelton, NY Linden SDA Church that dropped the Boulevard from its name where she was an active member until she and her husband relocated to Port Charlotte, Florida. At Linden, she was a Deaconess, taught Sabbath School, participated in Pathfinders, and volunteered in Vacation Bible School. She sang 1st Soprano in Fordhamnaires and Lindennaires were she was known for her melodic voice and warm smile, which offered comfort to all in every situation. She was a prayer warrior. God always answered her prayers. Eleanor also attended Port Charlotte SDA Church, Port Charlotte, Florida and Altadena SDA Church in Altadena, California as she and her husband, Roland moved to California for a year before moving back to New York with their youngest daughter, Lynette. Eleanor practiced what she preached, teaching her 4 children as well as the many other relatives’ children she raised along side her husband the importance of loving God, living with integrity, and demonstrating commitment to duty. Eleanor was strict, but it came from an extremely loving and caring place. She was known to keep her grandchildren laughing hysterically with her no nonsense attitude and antics. She was a strong woman. Quite honestly she might have been the strongest woman many of us will ever know. Her last job was at Manhattan State Hospital when, in 1962, she took and passed the Registered Nurse’s exam. Soon thereafter she became pregnant with her last child, Lynette and worked nights for the remaining 20 years of her career to be available in the mornings to care her last baby. She retired from the State of New York after 35 years of service in 1985. Eleanor went to sleep in Jesus on October 19, 2018 at North Shore Manhasset Hospital in Manhasset, New York. In an almost divine coincidence, Eleanor passed away in the same hospital and on the same date, 11 years later, as her beloved “Penn,” with the blessed assurance that she will be raised in the first resurrection to eternal life! In this life Eleanor was a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and a great-great grandmother. Eleanor was preceded in death by her beloved Roland “Penn,” her siblings Leona, Doris, Clement (Mente), Rita, and James, and her grandson Sean. Eleanor leaves to mourn her passing: her daughters Lucita (William), Lorraine, Lynette (Rodney) Ashley (Pearlina); her son, Alvin (Brenda); grandchildren: Phillip Wright Jr., Harold Wright III (Andrea Alvarez), Derrick Wright (Cara), Corey Penn, Pamela Penn (David), Devon Penn, Lauren Penn, James Ferguson, Kellis Testamark, Keysha Testamark, Sonita McDonald, Maurice McCray, Trevon, Ashley, Jr, and Niasha; 15 great grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, great nephews, great nieces and friends. Visitation will be held Thursday November 1st 2-4PM & 6-8PM at the Roslyn Heights Funeral Home 75 Mineola Ave. Roslyn Heights, NY 11577. Church Service will be held on Friday November 2nd 10:00Am at Linden Seventh-Day Adventist Church Laurelton, NY. Interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery Calverton, NY.