William Dale Penewitt

WILLIAM DALE PENEWITT, 77, of Aldine, Texas, passed away suddenly Sunday, January 29, 2012, in Katy, Texas. Dale was born May 26, 1934, in San Antonio, Texas, the second oldest and only son of John William and Lenora Scroggins Penewitt. The family moved to Beeville, Texas when Dale was nine years old. During his school years, Dale wrote and acted in many skits for the local clubs and organizations. While attending high school, he held many offices in various school organizations. He was active in all sports and received several awards. A 1952 graduate of A.C. Jones High School in Beeville, Dale attended South West Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos, Texas from 1953 - 1954, before enlisting to serve his country in the United States Air Force. During his enlistment he was stationed in San Antonio, and was temporarily assigned to the Boy Scout Camp in Ingram. After his discharge, he attended Trinity University in San Antonio through the USAF Extension Service. He also worked in the oil fields in Beeville, before his employment as a marine supply salesman in Corpus Christi. It was during this time that he met Harmon Dobson, the founder of Whataburger, who traded Whataburgers with Dale for water skiing lessons. In the fall of 1957, he met Karen Stuke, a student at Del Mar College. They fell in love and on June 12, 1958, they eloped and were married at St. Marks Methodist Church in Victoria. Their parents found out about their marriage when someone left the newspaper announcement on his parents' mirror and friends mailed a copy of the announcement to her parents in Illinois. A reception was held for the happy couple in September in Downers Grove, Illinois. Dale and Karen moved to Victoria in 1958 where Dale's parents lived. In 1963, the family moved to Houston, Texas where they have lived ever since. Active in scouting since he was eight years old, Dale earned the highest award possible - the Eagle Scout Award. He was a member of the Order of the Arrow, a National Camping Society for honor scouts. He had served as an assistant scoutmaster or a scoutmaster since he was nineteen years old. Both of Dale's sons and his grandson also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and his daughter has obtained her First Class Award and Gold Award in Girl Scouts. Dale had also served as an American Red Cross volunteer since the 1950's. He was an officer and coach for both the North Harris County Pee Wee Football League for twelve years and the North Side National Baseball Little League for twelve years. He had volunteered with, and was a member of, the San Jacinto Girl Scouts since the 1970's serving as Troop Sponsor from 1974 - 1980. Dale is survived by his WIFE OF 53 YEARS: Karen Judith Stuke Penewitt; SONS: William Daren Penewitt and John Karl Penewitt and his wife, Sandie; DAUGHTER: Kelly Judith Penewitt; GRANDCHILDREN: John Karl Penewitt, II Tacie Kristin Penewitt and Kelsie Penewitt Schoener and her husband, Corey. He is also survived by his SISTERS AND BROTHERS-IN-LAW: Doreen and William Box, Dorothy and Bud Sappington, Sylvia and Kenneth Berger, Mary and Charles Hubbard and Nancy and Tommy Tucker; MOTHER-IN-LAW: Marjorie Phillips Stuke; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends. Dale was preceded in death by his parents and his father-in-law, William Arthur Stuke. Friends who wish may make memorial gifts to the Sam Houston Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 924528, Houston, TX 77292 or donate online at http://www.doubleknot.com/Registration/CampaignDetail.asp?ActivityKey=1006757&OrgKey=2509.