R. Ivan 'Doc P' Pinnell

On June 14, 2024, R. Ivan “Doc P” Pinnell embarked on his next great adventure to where the salmon are endless, the elk play hide and seek and many friends, family, and beloved pets awaited him.

Friends and family will gather in Morgantown, WV on Tuesday, June 25, at the Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home from 5pm-8pm and in Evans, WV on Thursday, June 27, at the Casto Funeral Home, from 5pm-8pm.

Burial with full military honors will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Ivan was born February 16, 1943, in Grafton, WV and grew up in Millwood, WV where he was a member of FFA (Future Farmers of America) and 4-H. He graduated from Ravenswood High School in 1961. His love for the outdoors and the state was instilled while growing up on the farm and in small-town West Virginia.

He went on to higher education at Potomac State College (WVU), West Virginia University, and then Jacksonville State University, AL to earn his BS in Journalism and MS in Political Science respectively. Ivan furthered his education with a PhD in Speech Communication from the University of Denver, CO. Unknowingly at the time, this PhD would become the basis for his nickname given by his students later in life.

Those who only knew Ivan late in life may not know he had two distinct careers in the service of others, the first in the military and the other as faculty at West Virginia University.

Ivan entered Army basic training at Fort Dix, NJ in April of 1968, a tumultuous time in the US and world, and retired in June 1989 as a Lt. Colonel. His military career spanned the world over 22 years including serving with the 101st Airborne Division, Camp Eagle, Vietnam; 8th Infantry Division, Germany; 197th Infantry Division, GA; US Space Command/NORAD, CO where he enjoyed tracking Santa every Christmas and talking to children from around the world. During his years in the Army his roles included infantryman, public information officer and faculty at both the United States Air Force Academy and the Defense Information School. His military awards include the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 3rd Oak Leaf cluster, Air Medal, and Joint Services Commendation Medal.

After retirement from the Army, Ivan embarked on his next adventure shaping the education of young adults attending West Virginia University’s Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism and returning to his roots in West Virginia, the state he loved since childhood. “Doc P” was a primary figure in the School of Journalism, chairing the Public Relations Program from 1989 - 2010 and serving as Associate Dean from 1991 - 2007. Throughout a nearly 25-year tenure, his passion and energy for the students and program were contagious and he was beloved by students and faculty alike. Ivan had a focus on common sense and practicality in life and the classroom. He strongly felt that “my job is to make you think” and that is exactly what he did as a professor. He also believed “No matter the task or assignment given to you, approach it with a positive attitude – and try to enjoy it. That is true of life, and laughter is a part of that."

Thoughtful discussion was a keystone of his classes and he excelled at drawing it out of his students. Educating about life as well as course material was his goal. He had an open-door policy outside the classroom, at both his cluttered office and his secondary office behind the J-School with his pipe, where he always welcomed conversations across all facets of life.

The relationships he built and lifelong friendships he cultivated with students, resulted in many of them making a pilgrimage to visit “Doc P.” Ivan especially was delighted when these former students introduced him to their families and the next generation of WVU Freshmen. A faculty colleague once noted “I often thought that every student should have a professor like Ivan at least once in their lives.”

To say Ivan enjoyed the outdoors is an understatement. His hunting and fishing trips out in the US West in the lower 48 and Alaska are legendary. He looked forward to sharing those with his friends and daughter Becky who enjoyed them as much as Ivan. Friends who didn’t get to share in the trips, shared in the spoils that came back as elk and salmon steaks since Ivan was also an excellent cook. Although well known for his hunting and fishing adventures, he was also an avid gardener and artist whose talents included sketching, painting, stained glass, mosaics and weaving. These talents blossomed in retirement yielding beautiful works. As an acquaintance once said, “He can go out and hunt and be the macho type and he can be the sensitive kind working with his hands to create a work of art.” Ivan was a true renaissance man.

Ivan was preceded in death by his parents Roger Owen Pinnell and Julie Gail (Kiser) Pinnell. He was also preceded by Mr. Visitor, the cat that changed his perspective on cats and became his trusted sidekick and garden buddy, and his beloved Bulldogs – Edith Ann, Dickens, MG and Brandi. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Margaret (Margy) M. (Housholder) Pinnell, daughter Rebecca (Becky) L. Pinnell, his sister Latricia A. (Pinnell) McCoy (Trish) whom Ivan named and husband Roger, nieces and their significant others Stacy Raines and Steve Batten, Julie and Josh Quesenberry, and Samantha and Adam Canter. He will also be missed by his brother-in-law Robert (Bob) L. Housholder, Guffy (bulldog) and Abby (cat).

Doc P loved life and most importantly his family and friends who filled it along the way.

Please take a moment today to smile about something that reminds you of Ivan.

If you wish to honor Ivan by making a charitable contribution – Tunnel to Towers at t2t.org or Reed College of Media – Graduate Scholarships http://give.wvu.edu/reed.