John G. Pennell, 84, of Strasburg, Virginia passed away on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in the comfort of his home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 12 PM on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at St. John’s Catholic Church, 120 W Main St. Front Royal, Virginia with Father, Daniel Gee officiating. Following the Mass, his burial will take place at Cool Spring Natural Cemetery in Berryville.
A visitation will take place from 5-7 PM on Friday, July 17, 2026 at Maddox Funeral Home, 105 W Main St. Front Royal, Virginia.
John was born on November 3, 1941 in Hoboken, New Jersey to the late George and Brigid Sweeney Pennell. He was also preceded in death by his son, Sean Timothy Pennell and his sister, Brigid Pennell Keller.
Surviving John is his loving wife of 60 years, Mary Ann Sullivan Pennell; his children, Terrance Patrick Pennell, Brigid Ann Shanley, Mary Ann Fenton, Maureen Patricia Cook, Kathleen Sullivan Murtugh, and Jean Marie Schindler; his brothers, James Pennell of Beaufort, SC, and Daniel Pennell of New Jersey; his sister, Peggy Peck of Lakewood, Ohio; his numerous grandchildren; and his two great-grandchildren.
John was a veteran of the United States Navy, and a member of St. John’s Catholic Church.
Pallbearers will be family members.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Front Royal Pregnancy Center at 11 S Royal Ave, Front Royal, Virginia 22630.
John and I worked together at Vista Electric for more than 20 years. He was a very dear friend. He and I were born on the same day and year. He was 15 minutes older than me. I am truly sad about his passing.
I will miss him.
George Golodich
GGolodich@vistaelectric.com
For over seven decades John was my classmate, my teammate, my shipmate, and most especially my friend. At his marriage to Mary Ann, I was honored to serve as the best man in the wedding party but truly, John was the real ‘best man’ that day and all days since. The Navy taught you to be an electrician, the NYPD taught you that humanity sometimes acts in strange ways as you spent many years on the Emergency Services Unit which deals with all the most difficult situations. Along the way, you & Mary Ann had a slew of kids. Each time I visited, there were more and more kids. I remember asking if some were rentals! I noticed some were of a different ethnicity and found out that you provided occasional refuge to young people going thru a rough patch in their lives. I remember one time when I was visiting my parents in Ridgewood with my wife and 5 year old son who you invited to go on an outing to an amusement park. When you showed up in a huge people van full of your family, you asked my son Marc how old he was and then opened the van door and said, “I need a 5 year old up here” and then introduced Marc and told them to stick together that day. Your compassion and empathy for the downtrodden and less fortunate was exemplary. Both you and Mary Ann travelled to natural disaster areas to help rebuild peoples structures and lives, without compensation or accolades. You did it because there was an unfilled need and because it was “the right thing to do!” I admired and shared your love of history and reading and I can truly say, “John, you were one for the books! “. In closing, but not forgetting, I wish you, “Fair Winds and Following Seas” my friend.