Helen Kendrick Pennock

Helen Kendrick Pennock, of Charlottesville, VA, entered the presence of her Savior on November 7, 2026, age 75.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3101 Fontaine Avenue Extended, Charlottesville, VA, on Monday, November 16, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. Afterwards everyone is invited to a reception and sharing time at First Free Coffee, 340 Towncenter Lane, Charlottesville, VA.

A private interment service will be on Tuesday at Panorama Natural Burial in Earlysville, VA.

Helen was born in the small town of Homer, LA, on February 9, 1951. A graduate of Homer High School class of 1969, Helen was a majorette in the band and salutatorian of her class. Camp Merri-Mac in Black Mountain, NC, was an important part of her high school years. She spent seven summers there, first as a camper and later as a counselor. Those who remember her at camp will know she was elected “Princess Merri-Mac,” an indication of the esteem others felt for her. Many friends still remember her love and influence from camp days. Helen passed her love of this camp experience on to her children, who all enjoyed their own meaningful summers at various Christian camps.

Helen attended Millsaps College in Jackson, MS and later transferred to Louisiana State University. She graduated from LSU in 1973 with a degree in math education. As a student she was involved in campus ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU). After graduation, Helen joined the full-time staff of CRU and was assigned to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. There she met her fellow staff member, Steve. In 1975 they were married, and thus began their marriage partnership of 51 years. Together they nurtured a foundation of faith in the lives of many college students.

It was Helen’s dream to live in the mountains of western North Carolina. This dream became a reality in 1985 when Steve took a job in hospital administration at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville, NC. There Helen and Steve raised their three children and were committed friends to many. Helen continued as a homemaker and was actively involved with Moms in Touch (a prayer ministry for students) and Christian Women’s Club. They lived in Hendersonville for 30 years until the births of their youngest grandsons took them back to Charlottesville in 2016. They loved the frequent visits by the boys who walked, ran, or biked the short distance to their house.

Helen was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. She supported many faith-based causes and was involved in church mission committees wherever they lived. She was a trained Stephen Minister. She prayed for friends and supported ministries around the world. She journeyed through many years of chronic depression, a burden which required much courage and perseverance. She was always compassionate toward the trials of others and would come alongside them as a faithful friend. She was an active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church and particularly loved the people in their weekly fellowship group.

Helen is remembered for her love of reading, books, and bookstores. She often cross stitched with friends (Sandy’s Cross Stitch in Hendersonville) and attended monthly meetings of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. Bible study was a steady part of her life, including Community Bible Study, the First Pres Women’s Bible Study, and other groups over the years. She loved long visits with friends and family, and she and Steve traveled together to England, Maine, and many other places.

You could often find her delighting in what her children have become, in how cute her grandsons are, and in her newest stitching project, crossword puzzle, or audiobook. A natural storyteller, Helen loved to talk about her deep Southern roots and their humorous oddities, about her children, and about the funny things that had happened to them.

Helen is survived by her husband, Steve Pennock; her son, Andrew Pennock (Charity), of Charlottesville; her daughters, Elizabeth Pennock of Holland, MI, and Katie Pennock of Charlottesville; her four grandsons, Abe, Sam, Daniel, and Luke Pennock; her sister, JoAnn Nishimoto (Stuart), of Westchester, IL; her brother, Sam Kendrick (Mary), of Shreveport, LA; her brothers-in-law, Dick Pennock and Mike Pennock; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Charles and Lillian Kendrick of Homer and Shreveport, LA.

The family requests that memorial gifts be designated to World Vision (worldvision.org), Mercy Ships (mercyships.org), or Hospice of the Piedmont (hopva.org).

An online guestbook is available at www.compassionatecremationva.com

Compassionate Cremation & Natural Burial Services of Ruckersville, VA is honored to serve the Pennock family.