Marcia Woodward Penn

Marcia Woodward Penn entered the presence of her Lord and Savior on October 24, 2025.
Born November 19, 1949 in Jackson, Mississippi, she was the second child of Jones "Woody" Degraffenreid Woodward and Frances Woodward Suddath. She attended Spann Elementary and Chastain Middle School and graduated from Murrah High School in 1967. In 1971, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education from Belhaven University.
Marcia devoted her life to Christian ministry and education. She served as Director of Christian Education at First Presbyterian Church in Albany, Georgia, from 1972 to 1977, then joined the staff at Lost Valley Ranch in Sedalia, Colorado, from 1978 to 1979. In 1979, she returned to Mississippi to become Director of Admissions at Blue Mountain College. She later served as Director of Alumni Relations at Belhaven University, where she met Bill Penn, a Maryland native who had made Mississippi his home. They were married on December 31, 1984, and shared forty joyful years, raising their children, Emily and Joshua.
A gifted teacher with a deep love for children, Marcia poured her creativity into the classroom at Christ Covenant Preschool in Ridgeland from 2000 to 2016. She also volunteered in the children's ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, where her interactive lessons and imaginative props left lasting impressions on young hearts. An artist at her core, she found joy in drawing and painting, especially watercolor, and brought beauty and imagination to everyday moments.
To her grandchildren, Katherine and William Hoff and Caroline Taylor-Penn, she was "Honey." Being their grandmother was one of the great joys of her life. She delighted in making memories with them, often baking her much-loved sugar cookies that became a family favorite.
Marcia was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Jones (Jody) Degraffenreid Woodward, Jr. She is survived by her husband, William M. Penn, Jr., of Jackson; her daughter, Emily (Kern) Hoff, and grandchildren Katherine and William, of Jackson, Mississippi; her son, Joshua Penn, and her granddaughter Caroline, of Arlington, Virginia; and her sister, Susan (John) Potts, of Peachtree City, Georgia.
A private family burial will take place on October 27th at Natchez Trace Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held at First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi, on October 28th at 9:00 am, followed by a service of worship celebrating Marcia's life and faith at 10:30 am.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1390 N. State Street, Jackson, MS 39202 or Belhaven University, 1500 Peachtree Street, Jackson, MS 39202.