James "Jim" Pennington

It is with a deep sense of loss that we announce the death of Jim Pennington, age 82,who died of natural causes in Missoula, Montana.

 Jim is survived by his wife, Sharon Peiffer Pennington (Missoula), sister RuthCulham (Beaverton, Oregon), daughter Kathleen Pennington (Boise, Idaho), son Christoper Pennington (Reno, Nevada), and five grandchildren. David Pennington, Jim’s son, predeceased him in death.

 Upon graduating high school in Flagstaff, Arizona, Jim entered the Coast Guard at the age of 17, and remained there until 1969, when he was honorably discharged, his service ending with a tour in Vietnam and a Bronze Star. His experience in the Coast Guard lead him to the Federal Aviation Administration where he became an air traffic controller at the L.A. Center in Palmdale, California. He retired from the FAA in 1994.

 Since fifth grade, Jim was passionate about constructing scratch-built model ships. This fascination stayed with him his entire life, leading to the creation of museum-quality warships of the 1800s. His architectural skills and joy of woodworking,along with Sharon’s love for reproducing vintage textiles, lead them to a shared project: a miniature finely detailed, historically accurate Victorian house, which was a highlight of their work together.

 As an avid follower of maritime history, Jim made sure his collection of books on the topic was rich and always expanding. He loved reading about the history of the Pacific, along with researching his British heritage.

 He will be forever missed.