Eunice Pennington

Eunice Pennington (February 16, 1923 – April 3, 1997) was a native of the Ozarks about which she wrote. For more than thirty years, she was closely associated with the public as a schoolteacher, freelance writer, and regional librarian. For thirteen years, she served as regional librarian for the Current River Regional Library System, which included Carter, Reynolds, Ripley, and Oregon Counties in the south-central Missouri Ozarks.

The region she served was economically deprived, and she worked tirelessly to help improve conditions while preserving the culture of the Ozark people. She was the author of five books about the Ozarks that remain in print and wrote hundreds of articles documenting Ozark life and achievements. She served on numerous editorial advisory boards and worked as a consultant for various agencies. Throughout her career, she was a strong advocate for improved educational facilities, conservation of natural resources, and the preservation of Ozark culture.

Mrs. Pennington was born in Fremont, Missouri, on February 16, 1923, to Charles Albert and Hattie (Pritchard) Randolph and grew up on the Peck Ranch. She attended Fremont High School, Southeast Missouri State College, and Arizona State College. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Arkansas State College in Jonesboro and her Master of Library Science degree from George Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee.

On August 29, 1942, she married Daniel Douglas Pennington, a World War II veteran and Carter County farmer. Together they raised two children: Albert Joe Pennington and Mary Anna (Pennington) McDowell.

Mrs. Pennington was a member of the Missouri State Historical Society, the Carter County Historical Society, the National Ozarks Scenic Riverways Historical Society, the Missouri Library Association, Friends of the Library, and the Ozark Community Council. She also served as past Chairman of the Carter County Save the Children Federation, Historian for the Fremont Post of the American Legion Auxiliary, and Secretary of the Carter County Extension Association. Her many honors included a Lifetime Honorary Membership in the National Eugene Field Poetry Society.