Longtime Southern Baptist, Alabama Baptist pastor Penn dies at 85

Longtime Southern Baptist pastor Jessie Wayne Penn died Jan. 13. He was 85.

Penn attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served churches in South Carolina and Louisiana before coming to Alabama.

In Alabama, Penn served as pastor of numerous churches, including Enon Baptist, Falkville; Underwood Baptist, Florence; Daleville Baptist; Parkview Baptist, Decatur; First Baptist, Colbert Heights, Tuscumbia; Pine Ridge Baptist, Union Grove; Unity Baptist, Decatur; Forest Hills Baptist, Florence; Liberty Baptist, Hartselle; and most recently Mount Zion Baptist, Hartselle, where he served for more than 10 years before retiring in December 2018.

Penn was preceded in death by two sons, Phillip and Michael, and is survived by his wife of 65 years, Gloria, two daughters, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. (TAB)