Dorothy Cleo Pensoneau

Dorothy Cleo Pensoneau, 101, of Lebanon, TN passed away Saturday March 1st, 2025. Dorothy was born to Pearl and Ernest Crawford on October 3rd, 1923, in Howe, Texas. Her family moved to Seminole, Oklahoma when she was three years old during the glory days of the Seminole oil boom. Dorothy married Cecil Pensoneau on February 1, 1941, and they had one daughter, Cecilia. Dorothy and Cecil spent time in Healdton, Oklahoma City and moved to Shawnee, OK in 1972, where they had a cattle farm and salvage yard and where Dorothy remained until 2021 when she moved to Lebanon, TN to be closer to her granddaughter Kim and her family.

Dorothy’s life was driven by her love for the Lord and her heart and gift for teaching. Dorothy accomplished academic success through obtaining her BS and Masters in Education, as well as being a certified Reading Specialist. Throughout her almost half a century of teaching, Dorothy won numerous local, state and nationwide awards, she was invited to Presidential inaugurations and balls based on her talent and success as a teacher, and was even named in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers 1992 (an honor she loved to share with people who came to visit). Dorothy was an integral part of her community, participating in organizations and committees focused on the education and advancement of the youth. Dorothy also shared her gift of teaching and her strong knowledge of the Bible through her work as the Supervisor for the Bible School Program at Northridge Church of Christ for many years, she taught countless ladies bible classes at the different churches she attended in her life, and was even teaching childrens bible classes and was actively involved in Lads to Leaders well into her 90’s. Throughout the years, Dorothy received so many letters from former students and colleagues, thanking her for her impact in their lives. One wrote, that Dorothy was “a Proverbs 31 lady. She does a lot of things and has continued to enjoy living and serving the Lord.”

In addition to teaching, Dorothy loved writing. Her family was gifted many letters from her throughout the years, where she shared her faith, values, and wisdom and later in life she became a published author. Dorothy’s unwavering faith and commitment to a life serving the Lord, was the cornerstone of her life.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband, Cecil, daughter Cecilia Lewis, parents, six siblings, granddaughter Kim Wilson and grandson Joe Allen Lewis. She is survived by her sister Virginia Burrus, grandson Chris (Nikki) Lewis, grandson-in-law Brent Wilson, great grandchildren Anna (Buddy) Ladd, Daniel (Tawny) Wilson, Nathan (Randi) Wilson, Skeet (Adrianna) Lewis, Sadie Lewis, and great-great grandchildren Tanley, Crew, Crosby, and Camp Ladd, Henry Lewis, and Asher Wilson as well as a host of nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home & Memorial Park in Shawnee, OK. A visitation will be held on Saturday, March 15th at 9:00 am with a service immediately following at 10:00 am at Resthaven Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 44909 State Hwy 3, Shawnee, OK.