James Henry "Hank" Penland, age 62, died July 7, 2014. He was a current resident of Lawrenceville, Ga, and died in Atlanta after suffering several strokes over a week's period.
"Hank", as he was known to most people, was born May 4, 1952 in Atlanta. His parents, James and Marion Wells Penland preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, J. Morton and Margaret Wells, his paternal grandparents Thomas and Zelma Penland, and his uncle Thomas E. Penland, Jr., and Thomas' wife Katherine.
Hank was a lifelong athlete and sports fan. He graduated from Gordon High School, where he played numerous sports. He excelled on the soccer team, during the beginning days of high school soccer in DeKalb County. He also participated on a county-wide club soccer team. He initially attended DeKalb Junior College. While there, he was recruited by Appalachian State University, where he signed as the first soccer player to receive a paid scholarship for the soccer team. He made the Southern Conference All- conference Soccer team in 1974.
Hank graduated from ASU with a BA and a MA in 1975. He played professional soccer in England for a brief time. He taught high school at Lassiter High School in Cobb County, Ga, where he coached soccer, football, and basketball. A former soccer player noted that he "put Lassiter soccer on the map". After leaving the teaching field, Hank was a long-time independent contractor with Daytona Car Care Products.
Soon after college, Hank started dancing. Throughout his adult life, he was an accomplished dancer in all aspects of ballroom dance. He competed on the national level, and won numerous medals and championships. Most recently, he was affiliated with the Western Coast Swing Dance community in Atlanta. He is fondly remembered by his dance community as one of the "best dance partners" and was widely respected for both his skills and his friendships.
Hank is survived by his first cousins, James Penland and wife Ruth Primm of Atlanta, Polly Penland and Jim Anderson of Horse Shoe, NC, and Lee Penland and wife Katie Kelly of Roswell. He also leaves a rich extended family of "Wells" relatives in Virginia, and his "chosen brother" John Ward and wife Sue of Warrenton, NC. As an only child, Hank created strong networks of friends. He is missed for his support, his concern, for his humor and his many fun-loving antics through the years. He is also remembered for his strong devotion to his parents and to his grandmother, "Mrs. Wells", who lived with his parents during much of his life.
A celebration of Hank's life was held July 12, 2014, at Tom M. Wages Funeral Home in Snellville, GA.
"Hank", as he was known to most people, was born May 4, 1952 in Atlanta. His parents, James and Marion Wells Penland preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, J. Morton and Margaret Wells, his paternal grandparents Thomas and Zelma Penland, and his uncle Thomas E. Penland, Jr., and Thomas' wife Katherine.
Hank was a lifelong athlete and sports fan. He graduated from Gordon High School, where he played numerous sports. He excelled on the soccer team, during the beginning days of high school soccer in DeKalb County. He also participated on a county-wide club soccer team. He initially attended DeKalb Junior College. While there, he was recruited by Appalachian State University, where he signed as the first soccer player to receive a paid scholarship for the soccer team. He made the Southern Conference All- conference Soccer team in 1974.
Hank graduated from ASU with a BA and a MA in 1975. He played professional soccer in England for a brief time. He taught high school at Lassiter High School in Cobb County, Ga, where he coached soccer, football, and basketball. A former soccer player noted that he "put Lassiter soccer on the map". After leaving the teaching field, Hank was a long-time independent contractor with Daytona Car Care Products.
Soon after college, Hank started dancing. Throughout his adult life, he was an accomplished dancer in all aspects of ballroom dance. He competed on the national level, and won numerous medals and championships. Most recently, he was affiliated with the Western Coast Swing Dance community in Atlanta. He is fondly remembered by his dance community as one of the "best dance partners" and was widely respected for both his skills and his friendships.
Hank is survived by his first cousins, James Penland and wife Ruth Primm of Atlanta, Polly Penland and Jim Anderson of Horse Shoe, NC, and Lee Penland and wife Katie Kelly of Roswell. He also leaves a rich extended family of "Wells" relatives in Virginia, and his "chosen brother" John Ward and wife Sue of Warrenton, NC. As an only child, Hank created strong networks of friends. He is missed for his support, his concern, for his humor and his many fun-loving antics through the years. He is also remembered for his strong devotion to his parents and to his grandmother, "Mrs. Wells", who lived with his parents during much of his life.
A celebration of Hank's life was held July 12, 2014, at Tom M. Wages Funeral Home in Snellville, GA.
James Henry "Hank" Penland, age 62, died July 7, 2014. He was a current resident of Lawrenceville, Ga, and died in Atlanta after suffering several strokes over a week's period.
"Hank", as he was known to most people, was born May 4, 1952 in Atlanta. His parents, James and Marion Wells Penland preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, J. Morton and Margaret Wells, his paternal grandparents Thomas and Zelma Penland, and his uncle Thomas E. Penland, Jr., and Thomas' wife Katherine.
Hank was a lifelong athlete and sports fan. He graduated from Gordon High School, where he played numerous sports. He excelled on the soccer team, during the beginning days of high school soccer in DeKalb County. He also participated on a county-wide club soccer team. He initially attended DeKalb Junior College. While there, he was recruited by Appalachian State University, where he signed as the first soccer player to receive a paid scholarship for the soccer team. He made the Southern Conference All- conference Soccer team in 1974.
Hank graduated from ASU with a BA and a MA in 1975. He played professional soccer in England for a brief time. He taught high school at Lassiter High School in Cobb County, Ga, where he coached soccer, football, and basketball. A former soccer player noted that he "put Lassiter soccer on the map". After leaving the teaching field, Hank was a long-time independent contractor with Daytona Car Care Products.
Soon after college, Hank started dancing. Throughout his adult life, he was an accomplished dancer in all aspects of ballroom dance. He competed on the national level, and won numerous medals and championships. Most recently, he was affiliated with the Western Coast Swing Dance community in Atlanta. He is fondly remembered by his dance community as one of the "best dance partners" and was widely respected for both his skills and his friendships.
Hank is survived by his first cousins, James Penland and wife Ruth Primm of Atlanta, Polly Penland and Jim Anderson of Horse Shoe, NC, and Lee Penland and wife Katie Kelly of Roswell. He also leaves a rich extended family of "Wells" relatives in Virginia, and his "chosen brother" John Ward and wife Sue of Warrenton, NC. As an only child, Hank created strong networks of friends. He is missed for his support, his concern, for his humor and his many fun-loving antics through the years. He is also remembered for his strong devotion to his parents and to his grandmother, "Mrs. Wells", who lived with his parents during much of his life.
A celebration of Hank's life was held July 12, 2014, at Tom M. Wages Funeral Home in Snellville, GA.
"Hank", as he was known to most people, was born May 4, 1952 in Atlanta. His parents, James and Marion Wells Penland preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, J. Morton and Margaret Wells, his paternal grandparents Thomas and Zelma Penland, and his uncle Thomas E. Penland, Jr., and Thomas' wife Katherine.
Hank was a lifelong athlete and sports fan. He graduated from Gordon High School, where he played numerous sports. He excelled on the soccer team, during the beginning days of high school soccer in DeKalb County. He also participated on a county-wide club soccer team. He initially attended DeKalb Junior College. While there, he was recruited by Appalachian State University, where he signed as the first soccer player to receive a paid scholarship for the soccer team. He made the Southern Conference All- conference Soccer team in 1974.
Hank graduated from ASU with a BA and a MA in 1975. He played professional soccer in England for a brief time. He taught high school at Lassiter High School in Cobb County, Ga, where he coached soccer, football, and basketball. A former soccer player noted that he "put Lassiter soccer on the map". After leaving the teaching field, Hank was a long-time independent contractor with Daytona Car Care Products.
Soon after college, Hank started dancing. Throughout his adult life, he was an accomplished dancer in all aspects of ballroom dance. He competed on the national level, and won numerous medals and championships. Most recently, he was affiliated with the Western Coast Swing Dance community in Atlanta. He is fondly remembered by his dance community as one of the "best dance partners" and was widely respected for both his skills and his friendships.
Hank is survived by his first cousins, James Penland and wife Ruth Primm of Atlanta, Polly Penland and Jim Anderson of Horse Shoe, NC, and Lee Penland and wife Katie Kelly of Roswell. He also leaves a rich extended family of "Wells" relatives in Virginia, and his "chosen brother" John Ward and wife Sue of Warrenton, NC. As an only child, Hank created strong networks of friends. He is missed for his support, his concern, for his humor and his many fun-loving antics through the years. He is also remembered for his strong devotion to his parents and to his grandmother, "Mrs. Wells", who lived with his parents during much of his life.
A celebration of Hank's life was held July 12, 2014, at Tom M. Wages Funeral Home in Snellville, GA.
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