Roger Don Pentecost

LHS '66

August 23, 1946 - May 15, 2026

Roger Don Pentecost was born on August 23, 1946 in Huntsville, Alabama, to Melvin and Ruby Pentecost. He was a graduate of Lee High School. After high school, he proudly served in the United States military in the Vietnam War as a Marine then the Gulf War in the Army Reserves. After the military, he worked at Brownsferry Nuclear Plant until he retired.

He passed away on May 15, 2026. He is preceded in death by his parents, two infant siblings, son Brian, and grandson Anderson. He is survived by his wife, Karen, his children, Scott, Melissa, and Ashley (Taylor), his grandchildren, Victoria, Crystal, Baylee, Rylan, Grady, and Porter, and great-granddaughter Alayah.

Roger will be remembered for his steadfast love for his family, his constant reading, his words of wisdom, and his faith. He was a quiet man to some, but he had a gift of conversation that would draw people in which let him hardly ever meet a stranger. He will be deeply missed by family, friends, and loved ones.

Per his wishes, he had a graveside burial for immediate family on Thursday, May 21 at 1 pm. Berryhill Funeral Home assisted the family. 

Huntsville, Alabama

In the Summer of 1961

Willard Finkbinder

Huntsville in 1961 was a city standing at the crossroads of small town Southern tradition and the dawning space age. The year brought national attention, scientific triumph, and cultural shifts that touched every neighborhood from Five Points to West Huntsville. The cotton town of the 1940s had already transformed into a rocket research hub, but 1961 was the year Huntsville truly felt the weight — and excitement — of its new identity.

A City Watching the Skies

Nothing defined Huntsville in 1961 more than the morning of May 5, when the Redstone built Mercury Redstone rocket carried Alan Shepard into space aboard Freedom 7. Huntsville celebrated the achievement with pride, gathering at the Madison County Courthouse as Dr. Wernher von Braun addressed the crowd. Shepard’s flight marked the first American manned space mission, and Huntsville’s engineers, machinists, and military personnel felt the triumph as their own. 

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, formally dedicated the previous September, was rapidly expanding. The center had brought thousands of civil service employees to Huntsville, reshaping the city’s demographics and economy. By 1961, Marshall was testing the Saturn I, the first American launch vehicle designed solely for space exploration, with its first static test occurring in Huntsville that May. 

The presence of NASA and Redstone Arsenal meant Huntsville was buzzing with scientists, engineers, and families newly arrived from across the country. Subdivisions expanded, schools grew, and the city’s culture began blending Southern roots with cosmopolitan influences.

Education Rising With the Rocket Age

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) was still young in 1961, but it was already becoming a vital part of the city’s scientific future. Morton Hall, the first dedicated university building, opened its doors in January 1961. Classes filled quickly with students — many of them veterans or Arsenal employees — seeking training for the rapidly expanding aerospace industry. 

By June, von Braun himself petitioned the Alabama Legislature to fund a research institute on the campus, signaling Huntsville’s long term commitment to becoming a national center for science and engineering.

Local Life: Between Tradition and Transformation

Despite the technological boom, Huntsville in 1961 still felt like a close-knit Southern town. Saturday shopping on Washington Street, church socials, high school dances, and family picnics at Monte Sano remained central to community life.

Local newspapers like The Huntsville Times captured everyday happenings — club meetings, civic announcements, obituaries, and entertainment listings. The Times’s pages from 1961 show a lively social scene, including performances by groups like The Ink Spots at The Key Club on Walton Street. 

Teenagers cruised the Parkway, gathered at Big Spring Park, and flocked to drive in theaters for weekend entertainment. Huntsville’s drive ins — though not all documented in the search results — were popular gathering spots where young people mixed rock and roll culture with Southern charm.

Movies of 1961: What Huntsville Was Watching

Huntsville residents in 1961 enjoyed a mix of Hollywood glamour, Disney classics, and gripping dramas. The year’s most popular films nationally — and likely shown at Huntsville’s theaters — included:

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s — Audrey Hepburn’s iconic performance made this romantic drama one of the year’s most beloved films. 

• West Side Story — A sweeping musical that captivated audiences with its choreography and tragic romance. 

• One Hundred and One Dalmatians — Disney’s animated hit delighted families and became one of the top grossing films of the year. 

• The Guns of Navarone — A high stakes WWII adventure that dominated the box office. 

• The Hustler — Paul Newman’s gritty pool hall drama, popular among adult audiences. 

• The Parent Trap — A family favorite featuring Hayley Mills in dual roles. 

Local theaters — including the newly modernized indoor cinemas and drive-ins — would have featured these films throughout the year, giving Huntsville residents a window into national culture.

Music of 1961: The Soundtrack of the Rocket City

The Billboard charts of 1961 reveal what Huntsville residents were hearing on radios, jukeboxes, and record players. The year’s top songs included:

• “Tossin’ and Turnin’” — Bobby Lewis, the year’s #1 hit. 

• “I Fall to Pieces” — Patsy Cline, a country pop crossover beloved across the South. 

• “Runaway” — Del Shannon, with its unforgettable keyboard riff. 

• “Crying” — Roy Orbison, showcasing his signature emotional vocals. 

• “Hit the Road Jack” — Ray Charles, a rhythm and blues classic. 

• “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” — The Shirelles, the first girl group #1 hit. 

• “Surrender” — Elvis Presley, one of several Presley hits dominating the charts. 

Dance crazes like the Twist and Pony Time were sweeping the nation, and Huntsville teens were no exception. Chubby Checker’s “Pony Time” and “Let’s Twist Again” were staples at parties and school dances. 

Instrumental hits also had a strong presence in 1961, including “Wheels” by The String A Longs and “Last Night” by The Mar Keys — songs that would have played on Huntsville’s AM stations. 

Community Identity in Transition

Huntsville’s cultural life in 1961 reflected a city balancing old and new. Longtime residents watched their quiet town evolve into a center of national importance. Churches, civic clubs, and local businesses worked to maintain community traditions even as new families arrived from Michigan, California, New York, and beyond.

The city’s identity was shifting — from cotton and mills to rockets and research. Yet Huntsville retained its warmth, hospitality, and sense of place. Neighbors still gathered for backyard cookouts, children played in the shade of oak trees, and families attended Friday night football games.

Looking Back

Today, 1961 stands as one of Huntsville’s most pivotal years. The successful Mercury Redstone launch, the growth of Marshall Space Flight Center, and the expansion of UAH laid the foundation for the city’s future as a global leader in aerospace and technology.

But beyond the headlines, 1961 was a year of everyday life — of music drifting from car radios, movie nights at local theaters, and families navigating a rapidly changing world. Huntsville’s story in 1961 is one of pride, progress, and community resilience.

1961 - The Year That Was

Terry Preston

LHS '64

(Editor's Note: When looking back at my files, I came upon an article previously submitted by our departed friend, Terry, who we lost on December 14, 2002. I thought you might enjoy seeing it again.)

I was recently asked, “If you had to pick one year out of your life, and call it your best ever, which year would it be?”  Of course my response was, “The next one!”  When that didn’t work, I tried, “There was something special about all of them.”  That was viewed as a cop out.  Being hesitant to isolate only one of my great adult years to the exclusion of many others, I offered to answer the question as it pertained only to my childhood and adolescence.  That was easy.  It was 1961.

Ah, 1961!  The last year where it didn't make a difference if you read the year up side down until 6119.  1961 was a year with good news and bad news on the national and international front, but just good at Lee Junior High and Lee High School.

What a year it was!  The U.S. backed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba flopped, the trial of Adolf Eichmann for the murder of millions of Jew took place, Yuri Gagarin (a Russian) became the fist man in space, construction of the Berlin Wall (8/13/61 – 11/9/89 R.I.P.!) was begun, murderous dictator Patrice Lumumba of the Congo was (guess what?) murdered, and Chico Marx (member of the Marx Brothers) died.  On the other hand JFK was inaugurated president of the United States, Roger Maris hit 61 Home Runs, South Africa declared its independence from Britain, Allen Rex Sandage at the Mt. Palomar observatory discovered the first Quasar, Alabama won the National Championship of the NCAA, and Wayne Gretzky, Princess Diana, and Lee High School were born!

Calendar year 1961 began with us attending Lee Junior High, and finished with us attending Lee High School.  It began to the soothing strands of Bert Kaempfert’s Wonderland By Night, and ended to the tones of the Token’s The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

In between we danced and listened to Billboard Number 1 hits Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Calcutta, Pony Time, Surrender, Blue Moon, Runaway, Mother-In-Law, Travelin’ Man, Running Scared, Moody River, Quarter to Three, Tossin’ and Turnin’, Wooden Heart, Michael, Take Good Care of My Baby, Hit the Road Jack, Runaround Sue, Big Bad John, and Please Mister Postman, and dozens of great songs that didn’t make it to Number 1.  On the Country stations we heard Walk on By, San Antonio Rose, Big Bad John, Don’t Worry (a model for future synthesized sound recordings), Hello Walls, North to Alaska, I Fall to Pieces, Sea of Heartbreak, Tender Years, and Foolin’ Around.

In the spring, the 1961 Lee Junior High baseball team went undefeated, won the county championship and was dubbed “the best team I ever had” by coach Hub Myhand.  Attendance at the games was impressive, as Optimist Park was the fun place to be when the Generals were playing.  I can still hear the strands of I've Told Every Little Star floating from the stands, sung harmoniously by more than a dozen Lee girls as the Generals were taking care of business on the field. 

Lee Junior High’s final spring was fun away from the field, too.  Socializing while strolling the halls at Lee became an art form,  ‘going steady’ and Slam Books were in, as were white dress shirts, Lee jeans, and penny loafers with white socks for the boys.  The girls were required to wear modest dresses that sometimes inadvertently gave the boys a show, but this was really quite rare.  (The Lee girls were ladies first and foremost).  And it seemed that there was a party every weekend hosted by Barbara Wilkerson, Dianne Wilbourn, Mary Ann Bond, Barbara Rousseau, or Marquietta Hunt.  

The fall of 1961 gave birth to Lee High School, as the Class of ’64 began our sophomore year.  For the second consecutive year we were the ‘seniors’ of the school (which would happen for another two more years after that).   And we came onto the high school scene with a splash!  The first Lee High football team went undefeated and untied, extending the 1961 Generals unbeaten streak through two sports.  

The soundtrack album for "Blue Hawaii" entered the Billboard chart in October for a year-and-a-half run, staying at number one for 20 weeks (second only to "GI Blues" as the biggest album of Elvis's career) on the Billboard charts. It also yielded a number two single that was destined to become an Elvis classic, Can't Help Falling in Love.  The movie "Blue Hawaii" opened nationally and got to number two on the box office charts, becoming the top-grossing film of Elvis's career to that date.  Meanwhile, we were wearing out the jukebox at Mullins with Dion’s Runaround Sue.

At school we were back to the socializing that had characterized the previous spring, building upon friendships that were to last a lifetime!  Our band was really good, our cheerleaders were talented and pretty, and going to school was something that I looked forward to every day.  There was pure joy in the hallways of Lee, and all seemed well as we said so long to one another and broke for the Christmas holidays.  

Was 1961 as great as I remember it having been?  Probably not.  Reality is probably more like Barbara Streisand sang years later:  “Can it be that things were so different then, or has time rewritten every line?…memories may be beautiful and yet, what’s too painful to remember we simply choose to forget!  So it’s the laughter we will remember, whenever we remember the way we were!”

The Wayback Machine

 This week we continue looking back in the years we were at Lee High School by reviewing the happenings of 1961. In that year we saw the addition of the tenth grade in the growing of Lee. My 1964 classmates and I moved from being freshmen to sophomores. For fun I looked up why we were called sophomores and found "The 10th grade is called "sophomore" because of its historical roots in early English universities, where it was used to describe students who thought they were wise. The term combines two Greek roots: sophos (meaning "wise") and moros (meaning "foolish". Literally translating to "wise fool," it was originally a playful joke. It poked fun at second-year students who had learned enough to debate and think they know everything, but still lacked real-world experience." That is the one year I do not still have a copy of my report card, so I can't remember who was my homeroom teacher, but I am prone to believe it was still Mrs. Parks. Also, it should be noted that 1961 saw the first issue of Lee's Traveller published. In it we thanked Woody Beck for coming up with the name for the paper.

I offer some insight into my personal life during the years we cover. I do so in the hope it may spark a memory of your own when you were about the same age. Most of the information has previously been revealed in my book "A Million Tomorrows...Memories of the Class of '64."

1961 was also the year my family moved from McCullough Avenue to the low-income housing in Lincoln Park. We moved to 904-C Webster Drive. It was a three-bedroom apartment, and my family's modest income qualified us for occupancy. My family still consisted of my brother, my mother, my grandmother, and myself. I was 15 years old so I did not have my driver's license yet, and still relied mainly on the Huntsville Bus System for my transportation. Getting to school was always a problem for me from that location. I had yet to start keeping a journal so I do not have a record of my activities, but know that was about the time when I began attending boy-girl parties and the kissing games became a part of my activities.

My first real date with a girl was earlier in the year on Valentine's Day of 1961.  It was through one of those twisted webs of relationships that I was invited to go to a dance on Valentine's Day.  The web was a long and complicated one.  A girl, who was the daughter of the lady from whom my Valentine grandmother rented an apartment, was 17 and was going steady with a boy who was taking her to a dance at Huntsville High School.  She invited her younger cousin, who I will call Connie but it was not her real name, to go along.  Why she wanted to do that is unknown, but Connie didn't have anyone to go with.  Through some scheme, known only to Venus or Cupid, I was the one invited to go to the dance with Connie.

That was my first real date, and I didn't even initiate it.  I was the one who was asked for the date, and even then I wasn't asked by the girl.  It was through an arrangement made by the cousins, and parents, and aunts and uncles, and grandmothers and who knows who else.  Maybe the milkman was in on it for all I knew.  If I hadn't known better I would have thought that it was an old-world arrangement.  How such a date was settled is beyond belief, but it was and I was invited to go to the Valentine's Dance with Connie. 

It was 1961.  I was 15 at the time; she was 12, almost 13.  I bought flowers and everything and even wore a suit and tie.  We rode in the cousin's date's car to the dance, hardly speaking on the way.  I just barely knew the girl sitting beside me in the back seat of the car.  We had met once before when she was eight and it never entered my mind that someday I would be sitting in the back of a car on the way to a dance with her.  We sat in silence, glancing ever so often at one another and then out of the windows to watch the street lights go by.  The dance went rather well, except that at the time, neither I nor Connie knew how to dance, and we spent most of the time sitting and making busy talk or not talking at all.  When we did try to dance, all I knew how to do was the two step, and I spent most of the time on the floor saying "one two one, one two one" to myself as I counted the steps needed for the dance.  When the dance was over we all went to Jerry's.  It was my first time to visit that establishment with a girl.  We had Cokes and then went riding in the country.

The older cousin and her escort knew what you were supposed to do on a date when you go riding around on dark country roads.  I didn't.  If Connie did, she didn't tell me.  For almost an hour, we rode around in the dark countryside, with me sitting straight-backed, with my arm and her's just barely touching.  I couldn't have gotten any closer to the door if they had added me to the plans at Detroit.  About ten minutes before we got back to the house, my or her hand moved enough that they touched, and we held hands for the rest of the trip.  That was the whole extent of affection for the evening.

Thus ended my first date.  Scared to death of the girl and not knowing what to do, I decided that I needed to understand the male-female relationship a lot more before I ever went on another one.  Later, Connie and I would discover what dating was all about, but it would take time, and it would be another year or so before I ever went out with her again.

Last Week's Questions, Answers, And Comments

Delores McBride Kilgore, LHS '66, “Thank you, Tommy! I really enjoyed this Traveller! So many good memories! ”

Mike Cortright, LHS ‘65, "Tommy...that was such a succinct, yet very eloquent, synopsis of Huntsville during 1960. I was part of one of those "Yankee" families who arrived in July of 1960 as a result of the burgeoning growth of the Marshall Space Flight Center. Across the board , the Southern people were so welcoming, notwithstanding that times were a "changing" for them. I feel blessed to have lived in Huntsville during that exciting time ... punctuated by the wonderful relationships with very special people at Lee that were forged over five years. Thank you for being a consummate storyteller and for keeping our historical experiences "alive"!"