Lee Anne Pennington-Merkley

Lee Anne Pennington-Merkley, 68, passed away suddenly on April 25, 2026.

Born on December 31,1957, in Cleveland, Ohio, Lee was the loving mother to Stephanie Merkley-Ross (Damon), beloved daughter to Leona Pennington, beloved sister to Peggy Pennington-Aten (Timothy); grandmother to Samantha (Steven) Bolander, Brittany (Brandon) Weigel, Matthew and Josh Merkley, and Alexis, Jenna and Aubrie Ross; a great-grandmother of five and an aunt to many.

Lee was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Merkley, beloved son Raymond, great-granddaughter Emmalynn Rae; her father, William Pennington; sisters Lois Bierman, Susan Gallagher and Joan Hemming; and her niece, Jennifer Pennington.

Lee was a loving mother, daughter, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her family meant the world to her. She enjoyed having her grandchildren over for sleepovers and spending time with them. She loved to travel and see new places. She loved to read and was a big Harry Potter fan. She loved music and was a big fan of ‘70’s rock music; Led Zeppelin and The Who were two of her favorites.

We will miss her wonderful smile, her laugh and late-night heart-to-heart conversations. She leaves behind many people who loved her, including many friends.

Lee attended Madison High School and was a resident of Madison, Ohio, for 30 years until moving to Harpersfield, Ohio, where she resided for more than 20 years. Lee was a notary public and a tax preparer for many years and helped her husband, Ray, run his trucking business for over 50 years. Previously, Lee was a preschool teacher for Head Start in Madison. Lee was kind and loving and will be missed by all who knew her.

Family and friends will be received May 4, 2026, from 6-8 p.m. at Behm Funeral Home, 26 River St., Madison. The service will be at 11 a.m. May 5, 2026, at Immaculate Conception Church, 2846 Hubbard Road, Madison, Ohio. Burial will follow at Harpersfield Cemetery, Route 307.