ASBURY FIRST MONDAY READER | JUNE 23, 2025

CONTENTS: LELEND PENNINGTON MEMORIAL

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2025 GRADUATES!

What first drew you to Leland Pennington's story when you were in high school? Was there a specific moment or source that sparked your interest?

I've been around the National Warplane Museum, in nearby Geneseo, for all my life. My dad used to volunteer there, and he brought me along many times, so I grew up around the place. I began volunteering myself, when I was old enough. I began as a tour guide, and helped with a Tuskegee History program the museum held each summer during our airshow. Kids were bused in from the city, and given a tour/lecture. Dr. David Anderson, a Rochester legend, would come to give a history on the Red Tails to the kids. Charlie Price, a local Tuskegee Airman, also came to speak. I got to know Charlie very well, and he mentioned his friend Leland who was lost in combat. From there, I began my quest for knowledge.

Have you been able to connect with any surviving family members or people who knew Leland?

Yes! A week or so after I got intel from Charlie Price, I did some digging. Thanks to some help from my Aunt (a genealogist), I was able to locate his cousin Al Fields, who still lives in Rochester. I wrote him a letter via snail-mail, and a week later we talked on the phone. He was delighted about what I wanted to do to honor Leland. We first met about a month after that, at the museum. We've been close ever since, Al and other cousins of Leland are in full-support of the project. I have also connected with Leland's half-daughters, who live in New Orleans. I was able to connect them with Al, a mini-family reunion ensued!

What's the most surprising or moving thing you've uncovered about Leland during your research?

From the beginning, I wanted to find out exactly why Leland went MIA. What caused him to just disappear? I got all the records for Leland, his aircraft, and the missing aircrew report from the government, but none indicated the exact cause. It wasn't until I made a new friend last year, Craig Huntly. Craig is a Tuskegee historian. He had access to more resources than I, and was able to find an interview with one of Leland's squad mates, Dr. Thurston Gaines. In this interview, there is a snippet where he talks about Leland, and the good person he was. He mentioned that it was suspected he had appendicitis, and likely got a flare-up while flying to the mission. From there, he likely went into the Adriatic Sea. It took 10 years to find that information (in between the beginning of the project, then school/work/pilot training full-time.) I am forever grateful to Craig for his help, as he also helped me locate Leland's flight logs and additional photos I had never seen of him before.

memorial service at Asbury. My mother and I became close with Rev. Kathy Thiel, and the idea had been in the back of my mind ever since my dad's "celebration of life."

I gave a presentation on the project locally over the winter, and a few members from the VFW Post named after Leland Pennington came to it. I had been trying to contact them for years, and finally...here they were! Meeting them got the gears turning even more in my head, to include them in a hypothetical ceremony. From here, things just grew and eventually "took off."

The ceremony was absolutely perfect, in my eyes. We really hit the right notes on everything. Including a display about the project, and including the Pennington-Moye VFW Post really added to the overall vibe of the day. WWII Vets Mason Fitch and Bill Lisi attending was a complete and welcome surprise, and I feel this really made the day complete. I am forever thankful for their attendance, and for getting to meet them. To have them both voice their support for my project gave me goosebumps.

Why is it important to keep stories like Leland's alive, especially for Rochester and the broader community?

As mentioned above, we are coming up on the 80th Anniversary of the end of World War II. The War is still popular and studied by many, but younger generations won't have the physical connection to actual WWII Veterans that my generation and older have been able to enjoy. Keeping these "Warbirds" flying will help keep a tangible part of WWII history alive for future generations, so they still have a physical connection to that harrowing time period in our history. My goal is to help "keep them flying," while teaching the story of WWII at the same time. Most recently, I have been teaching a pilot ground school to students at the Sully Branch Library in Rochester. Kids from 12-18 have attended, and I always include a lesson on Leland Pennington, the Tuskegee Airman, and WWII Aircraft. In my mind, that is mandatory. I am currently developing a "Warbird Pilot Training Program" that will take students (of all ages) from zero flight experience up to flying WWII aircraft. The program follows the original training syllabus from WWII, but is augmented with today's training standards. I feel that this program will serve the Western New York community by keeping WWII alive and physically accessible for all.

Asbury First United Methodist Church proudly celebrates our graduating students as they embark on new journeys.

High School Graduates

Our high school graduates are heading to impressive institutions nationwide. Ellie Cady will attend Ohio Wesleyan University as a Schubert Scholar studying Journalism and Political Science. Zeke Doerner heads to Alfred University for Ceramic Engineering, while Nathan Kambar, a Life Scout and varsity rower, will study Civil Engineering Technology at RIT/NTID. Phoebe Martin earned appointment to the United States Coast Guard Academy, and Rosalie Stinehour will pursue Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. Garrett Long graduates from Victor High School with honors and National Honor Society recognition, earning a Project Lead The Way Medal for engineering, and will pursue a BS/MS in Computer Engineering at RIT. Sophie Elizabeth Karpovich graduates from Pittsford Sutherland High School and will attend Keuka College for Occupational Therapy.

College Graduates

Mary Benjamin graduates from Cornell and begins her consulting career with Segal in New York City. Joe Seiffert graduates from Jacksonville University with a History degree and will serve as Assistant Sailing Coach while pursuing his MBA. Jake Schwartz earned his engineering degree from WPI and is working as an engineer while beginning graduate studies at Johns Hopkins. Allie Beamish graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Bonaventure with a triple major in education and music. Isabelle Joy Karpovich graduated from Ithaca College with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and is completing her final clinical rotation with plans to stay in Rochester. The Flynn sisters both pursue teaching careers—Riley graduated from Canisius in Elementary Education, while McKenzie earned her master's in French Education from the University of Rochester.

What strikes us most is not just their academic achievements, but their commitment to service and leadership. These young people embody the values we cherish at Asbury First, ready to make positive contributions wherever their paths lead, to Do More Good.

Congratulations to all our graduates!