Thomas Azor Penn

Thomas Azor Penn age 92 of Cave City died Saturday, May 2, 2015 at a Batesville hospital. He was born April 1, 1923 in Lynn, Arkansas to Joseph and Pearl Ann Osborn Penn. He grew up in the Portia area and went on to marry Mary Trice Dalton on June 7, 1947. He graduated high school at Portia and then went on to Arkansas State University and received a BSA Degree and then a Masters Degree from Peabody in Nashville, Tennessee. He was a coach and a Veteran’s instructor at Cave City, a Principal at Dalton, a Superintendent at Black Rock and finished his teaching career as Superintendent at Cave City. He was also a State Senator from 1959-1971. He was also a veteran of the Army Air Force serving as a pilot. He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Thomas Jackson Penn; one grandson, Garrett Wesley Yeager; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Brooks and Marie Penn and Don and Wilma Jane Penn and one sister and brother-in-law, Mary Katherine and Charles Ross. Survivors include his wife, Mary Trice Penn of the home; one son, Richard Lewis Penn of Melbourne; one grandson, Billy Penn and wife Nikki of Cave City; one granddaughter, Holly Vinson and husband Tony of Batesville; two great grandsons, Tanner Vinson and Hunter Vinson and wife Katie; one great-great grandson, Slade Vinson; one great-great granddaughter, Londyn Yeager and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Qualls Funeral Home Chapel in Cave City with Dean Fugett officiating. Burial will follow in the Cave City Cemetery located at Cave City with arrangements by Qualls Funeral Home of Cave City. Visitation will be Monday, May 4, 2015 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Russell Fowler, Chad Wooldridge, Wendell Saffell, Darrel Ford, Jim Smith and Jonathan Fowler. Honorary pallbearers are Benson Hardaway, Calvin Lassiter, Kenny Turner, Paul Wesley Johnson, James Street, Ricky Medlock and Jeff Qualls.