Annette Wallace Pannell

KINGSPORT - Barbara Annette Wallace Pannell, 86, of Kingsport died on Friday, May 8, 2020 at Holston Valley Medical Center. Annette was born in Rome, GA on August 19, 1933 and was the daughter of the late Isaac Clifford Wallace and Jewell Bradfield Wallace. Upon graduating from Rome High School, she attended the University of Georgia. During a summer beach trip to Florida with her family, she met her future husband, Dr. Winston E. Pannell, a Kingsport native.

Annette moved to Kingsport in 1952 when she married, and began a long life of community involvement while raising her family. During her 65 plus years in Kingsport, Annette worked with, and supported, many organizations. She was active in the Junior League of Kingsport, served as a board member of the Netherland Inn Association and was president of the Women’s Society of Christian Service. She was an active member of First Broad Street United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women.

For several years, Annette served as the Tri-Cities Coordinator of the National Multiple Sclerosis

Society, which organized fundraising, awareness and patient support activities. She was also quite interested in politics and government, which was inspired by her high school experiences as a delegate to Georgia Girls State and to Girls Nation in 1951, where she met President Harry S. Truman. For many years, Annette was active in Republican politics, both in campaigning and fundraising, at the local, state and federal levels. She served as President of Greater Kingsport Republican Women and was President of the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women. Through the years, she met and supported many government leaders, including Tennessee and U.S. congressional members, governors and five U.S. presidents. She was quite passionate about the democratic process and felt that it was important to get involved. In 2017, Annette was honored by the Junior League of Kingsport as one of the Women of Impact during the city’s centennial celebration. She was a founding member of the Ridgefields Garden Club of which she served as president.

Annette dearly loved her family, friends and church community. She was a supportive daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Winston, three sisters and a brother. She is survived by her sister, Evelyn Wallace Wolf and husband Dick of Sequim, WA; son Dr. Robert W. Pannell of Kingsport; daughter Karen Pannell Mullendore and husband Dave of Nashville; three grandchildren, Brittany Pannell Temples and husband Travis of Cookeville, Charles Tyler Pannell of Huntsville and John Winston Ames Mullendore of Nashville. She also has two great-grandchildren, Owen Thomas Temples and Josephine Belle Temples, and several nieces and nephews.

A family entombment service will be held at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to First Broad Street United Methodist Church, 100 E. Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660, the Netherland Inn, 2144 Netherland Lane Inn Road, Kingsport, TN 37660, or a charity of one’s choice.