Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 22, 1994 TAG: 9410240036
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
On campus, faculty members remembered him as a teacher and a scholar.
"He taught almost every course we had in soil science," said David Martens, a professor of soil chemistry. "I knew him for quite a long period. He was very helpful when I was a young Ph.D. and he had just come here. He gave a lot of very good advice."
Pendleton was a member of the Department of Agronomy at Tech from 1946 to 1977. Known affectionately to his students as "Doctor John," he was an academic adviser to graduate and undergraduate students alike. He served as faculty sponsor for the Agronomy Club.
"He was the best educated man in the Department of Agronomy," said S.S. Obenshain, a retired agronomy professor, referring to Pendleton's broad training in the humanities in addition to his technical training in chemical engineering and soil chemistry,
Pendleton also served for several years as coach of the university's successful soils judging team, said David Parish, a professor of crop and soil science. Included in Pendleton's professional associations were memberships in the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America.
His research was in soil physics.
Pendleton was born in Pasquotank County, N.C., in 1912 to the late George W. and Estelle D. Pendleton.
He received a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from N.C. State University in 1935, a master's in soil chemistry from Rutgers University in 1939, and a doctorate in soil chemistry from Cornell in 1950.
He took a time out from his education from 1941 to 1945 to serve in the U.S. Army's 116th Evacuation Hospital Unit in Central Europe. He was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious service in direct support of combat operations in France and Germany.
After finishing his service and his education, he moved to Blacksburg.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Robeson Pendleton; a stepdaughter; and four daughters.
A funeral will be held today at 11 a.m. in Blacksburg Baptist Church with Dr. Ray Allen and Dr. Tom Reynolds officiating. Burial will follow in Westview Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the John Davis Pendleton Scholarship Fund through the Virginia Tech Foundation.
by CNB