James Richard Pendleton

James R. Pendleton, 89, of Concord, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2025 at Taylor Glen.  Mr. Pendleton was born September 3, 1935 in Erie, Pennsylvania to the late William C. Pendleton and the late Beatrice Koons Pendleton. 

He graduated from the machine shop class of Erie Technical High School, served in the US Navy for four years, and worked in the family business as a tool and die maker and owner of Pendleton Tool Company. 

He met and married the girl next door and they recently celebrated 65 happy years together. Their marriage was an example of true love, and he filled their home with laughter and joy. His smile and laugh was infectious, and taught us that a sense of humor is essential to get through life. Using the Korean GI Bill, Jim took night classes at Gannon University for 11 years to gain a BS in Business Administration. He was twice past president of the NW PA Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association. 

He was an active church member, Sunday school teacher, and elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church and later Fairview Presbyterian Church. Post retirement, he was an enthusiastic volunteer at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center for many years, welcoming people to enjoy the gateway to Presque Isle State Park. 

He had a passion for travel, a lifelong love of learning, and instilled an appreciation for the wonderful world around us. Summers in Erie were spent waterskiing, biking around Presque Isle with the Erie Outing Club, and enjoying sunsets - often from the top of the ferris wheel at Waldameer Park. Their home was a place where friends quickly became family, where grandchildren made memories together, and where card and board games often filled the home with laughter. 

They began splitting their time between North Carolina and Pennsylvania, eventually relocating full time to NC. He enjoyed writing stories for the Taylor Glenn community. 

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, Feb 8th at 1pm at Harrisburg United Methodist Church. Internment will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Conneaut, OH.

Survivors include wife, Alice Spanbauer Pendleton, four children, Jeffrey (Evelyn) Pendleton, Thomas (Julie) Pendleton, Jeanne (Stefan) Koch, and Barbara (Howard) Barnhill, plus nine grandchildren, James (Madison), Jeffrey Scott, Jr. and Diana Pendleton, Sarah and Emily Pendleton, Allison and Brian Koch, and Taryn and Emma Barnhill. Also surviving is special foreign exchange daughter Ulrike of Germany.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to a charity of your choice. The best memorial is to share a smile and spread joy the way that Jim did throughout his life. 

Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg is serving the Pendleton family.