William D. Pennington, 64, was killed about 11:30 p.m., Saturday, 13 October 2007, in an accident on U.S. 270, about two miles east of Arpelar. He was westbound on U.S. 270 at the time an eastbound car swerved to avoid debris in the road, hitting Pennington's car, head~on.
Pennington was pronounced dead at the scene.
Martha Pennington, his wife, 55, was also in the car. She was flown to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa via helicopter. Her condition was not available at that time.
Mr. Pennington was the president of Murray State Collage in 2004. Before that time he was a dean and professor of history at Northwestern Oklahoma State University on the Enid campus. Previously, he had been the dean of humanities and social sciences in Alva at the main campus.
He had also once held administrative offices at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR, The University Center at Tulsa, Tulsa Community College and William Woods College in Fulton, MO. He also helped create new facilities at both the Tishomingo and Ardmore campuses.
Pennington was born in Anadarko and raised in Duncan. He received his bachelor's degree in history and secondary education from the University of Tulsa. He also received his masters' degree in history from the University of Tulsa before going on to the University of Oklahoma, where he received his doctorate in history.
He is survived by his wife, Martha "Marty" Pennington, a professor at East Central University and his children, David Pennington, Martha Link and Mallory Roark.
At this time no services have been made.