Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Six Decade Veteran of Textiles, Harold Pennington, Sr. Passes Away at 82
March 10,
2025 by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry 
Harold Dean Pennington, Sr., 82, of 128 Pennington Farm Dr., went home to be with the Lord, Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at his home. Mr. Pennington was born in Cherokee County, SC. He was the husband of the late Mildred Patterson Pennington and son of the late Andrew William Pennington and Elsie Collins Pennington. A beloved husband, son, brother, father, Pop, and Great-Pop, he was a pillar of the Pennington family, his community, and the local textile industry.
Mr. Pennington was born and raised in Blacksburg, SC. After graduating from Blacksburg High School in 1960, he went on to graduate from Clemson University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Management. Along with his sister, Carolyn, he was part of the first generation in his family to obtain a college degree, and he credited his parents’ and grandparents’ sacrifice and hard work as integral to that accomplishment.
He returned to Blacksburg after graduation, where he spent the next six decades working in the textile industry. He worked at Burlington Industries for eight years and then Wendell Fabrics for fourteen years before co-founding Weavetec, Inc. in 1987. In less than 10 years, he and his business partner, Haskell Mallory, grew Weavetec from a one loom operation to five locations with over 200 employees. In 1995, Weavetec, Inc. expanded as it merged with Innovative Technology. Then, Weavetec purchased Simply Country, a textile wholesaler based in Wytheville, VA. Today, Weavetec continues to thrive with two production facilities in his hometown of Blacksburg, SC.
Mr. Pennington was instrumental in the formation of First National Bank of the Carolinas in 1995, serving on its Board of Directors, and also co-founded Benchmark Investments, Inc. in 2008. His work ethic was unparalleled and his favorite quote, “success comes to those who persevere”, described the way that he lived every single day of his life.
In 2019, Mr. Pennington was inducted into the Cherokee County (SC) Hall of Fame, and the following year, inducted into the Cherokee County (SC) Hall of Success as a member of the Blacksburg High School Class of 1960.
Mr. Pennington was a man of few words, but his wit and wry smile spoke for themselves. He was incredibly humble, exceptionally generous, and loyal to the people he loved and the beliefs he held dear. Even at 82, he was in the office five days a week, spent his Saturdays fixing up tractors and antique cars at “The Land” with his son and grandsons, and never missed a family celebration, even spending the Saturday before his passing celebrating his great-grandson’s second birthday.
Survivors include son, Harold Dean Pennington, Jr. and wife Laurinda of Blacksburg, SC and their children, Allison Elizabeth (Victor) and Andrew William (Madyson); daughter, Paula Pennington Cobb and husband Kelee of Blacksburg, SC and their children, William Dean (Anna) and Kaleb Christian; one great grandson, Luke David and another expected in May, Eli Harold; aunt, Bonnie Sue Collins Depperman; sisters-in-law Beth Patterson Dalton, Celia Patterson Pribble (Daryl), and Sadie Patterson Lowery (Steven); and nine nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Carolyn Elizabeth Pennington Roark (Tommy) and a brother, Dewey Wayne Pennington.
The family received friends from 6-7:30pm February 28, 2025, in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church, Blacksburg. Funeral services were held at 2:00 pm Saturday, March 1, 2025, in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church, Blacksburg conducted by Dr. Terry Duvall and his grandsons Mr. Will Cobb and Mr. Andrew Pennington.
The pallbearers included Andrew Pennington, Will Cobb, Kaleb Cobb, Victor Pirie, Richard Dobbins and Tony Blanton.