Roy B. Jennings

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2009 at the Woestina Church in Rotterdam Junction for Roy B. Jennings, 87, who died at his home on Thursday, February 19, 2009 after a long illness. He was the only son of the late Roy Jennings Sr. and Nora (Bowron) Jennings. Born in Newport News, Virginia, he resided briefly as a young child in Florida before moving to Roanoke, Virginia where he remained until graduation from Jefferson High School in 1938. Employed briefly as a lineman by the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company in Roanoke, in 1942 he joined the 9th Naval Construction Battalion, the SEA BEES, served overseas in the Panama Canal Zone and Nicaragua before returning to the United States in 1944 to enter Naval Officer Training in the V 12 Program, attending Stevens Institute of Technology, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic and Bucknell University. After discharge at war's end, he returned to Bucknell where he completed his BS degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1948 he joined the GE Test Engineer Program after which he accepted assignments as motor designer and advanced motor design development engineer. He subsequently served in management positions in the Large Motors and Generators (LMG) and the Machinery Apparatus Operation (MAO) Departments. During his years in Schenectady, Roy served as President of the GE Engineers Association and the HIGHBRIDGE Civic Association. He also served on a number of Rotterdam town, church and school committees. He retired from General Electric in February 1987. In retirement he kept busy maintaining his circa 1800 farm house, his bee hives and vegetable gardens -with the help of his beloved Cairn terriers. He found time to become a Master Gardener. He served two terms as president of the Rip Van Winkle Chapter of NA WCC. He was the Vice-president of the Consistory of the Woestina Reformed Church when a period between pastors required him to act as the temporary liaison. Later, during one five month period he drove 1,500 miles around the United States towing a car behind a motor home, visiting family and friends and seeing places there had been no time to see before. Roy is survived by Betty Anne, his wife of 42 years; by his daughter, Jill Jennings and her husband, Paul Cheng, of Georgia; and by his son, Jack and his wife, Pat, and their children, Luke and Lainey, of California. He is also survived by his stepson, Bill Bums and his wife, Lynne, and their sons, Will, Timothy and Nathan, of North Carolina. At the convenience of the family, interment will be in the Woestina Church Cemetery in the Spring. Contributions in Roy's memory may be made, if desired, to the wonderful organization, The Community Hospice of Amsterdam, 246 Manny Comers Road, Amsterdam, New York 12010 or to the Woestina Reformed Church, 1397 Main Street, Rotterdam Junction, N.Y. 12150