Judith Carol Rush Pennington was born July 26, 1945, and passed away at home with her family by her side on November 16, 2018.

She was 73 years old.

Judy was a treasured wife, mother, grandmother and friend. All who knew her remarked upon her gentle, lady-like manner.

Judy was a 1963 graduate of Bogalusa High School. She received her B.S. degree in biology and her M.Ed. in chemistry from Southeastern Louisiana University. She later earned a Ph.D. in Marine Sciences from Louisiana State University.

She spent her career as a research biologist for the U. S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in its Environmental Laboratory in Vicksburg.

Dr. Pennington was involved in many professional groups and studies: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Research and Technology Agency (RTA),  The Environmental Impact of Munitions and Propellant Disposals Committee, the Department of Defense Working Group on Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR), review panels for the Impact Area Groundwater Study, the High Use Training Area Study, and the Fate and Transport Study, the Technical Cooperative Program (TTCP) in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), Vegetative Effects Environmental Sensing (VEES) Program, Defense Advanced Research Program Agency (DARPA), and the National Research Council.

She maintained memberships in the American Chemical Society, Society for Counter-Ordnance Technology, the American Society of Agronomy, and Sigma Xi. Judy was a longtime member of Crawford Street United Methodist Church.

There, she served on the Board of Trustees, was active in the United Methodist Women, and was a member of the Friendship Sunday School class.

Following her retirement from ERDC in 2007, Judy had time to explore her varied interests. She was a member of the Warren County Master Gardeners, the CHL Book Club, Town and Country Garden Club, Sampler Antique Club, and Art Talk. She was known for her lovely yard, where she had the most beautiful flowers and landscape.

She also enjoyed reading, painting and needlework.

Judy is survived by her beloved husband of 51 years, Carlos Harrison “Jim” Pennington; daughter, Jennifer Pennington Nola (Paul), and daughter Cathryn Pennington Nystrom (Jason), both of Baton Rouge, La.

She is also survived by two grandsons, Nicholas and Luke Nola of Baton Rouge.

She is preceded in death by both her parents, David Harmon Rush and Nellie Marie Dunaway of Bogalusa, La.

Visiting with the family will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Crawford Street United Methodist Church in Vicksburg.

Funeral service will follow at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to either Methodist Children’s Home in Clinton or Crawford Street United Methodist Church.