William H. Penn
2005
William Hubert  'Billy'  Penn, 81, a math teacher at White Oak Middle School in Silver Spring who retired in 1988, died Oct. 19 at his home in Silver Spring. He had a brain tumor.
Mr. Penn was a physical education instructor at Kramer and Paul junior high schools in Washington between the late 1940s and early 1960s. He joined the White Oak faculty in 1962.
In retirement, he did construction work on homes.
He was a native Washingtonian and a 1943 graduate of  Coolidge High School, where he played varsity football, baseball and basketball. He later was a member of the Coolidge reunion committee.
During World War II, he was in the Navy's V-12 program at Yale University. He was a running back on Yale's football team and also received a bachelor's degree in naval engineering in 1946. He received a master's degree in physical education from the University of Maryland in 1948.
His memberships included the Fairland Sports and Aquatics Complex in Laurel and the Jock's Club of Washington, made up of former high school athletes. In 1998, he received the Jock's Hall of Fame Award for his high school sporting achievements.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Angelina Litteri Penn of Silver Spring; five children, Eugene Penn of Columbia, John Penn of Woodbine, Regina Cross of Berthoud, Colo., Maria Jacob of Silver Spring and Christine Engle of Ellicott City; three brothers, Edward Penn of Lake Forest, Ill., Roy Penn of Riverside, Calif., and Vincent Penn of Rockville; and 10 grandchildren.