Penny Horne – Former teacher, administrator called 'truly legendary' at NHS

Penny Horne’s impact on Nacogdoches ISD students was called “truly legendary” by a former colleague, and over the course of her long teaching career, she influenced for the better hundreds if not thousands of NISD graduates.

Horne, a longtime Nacogdoches ISD teacher and administrator, died Dec. 7 in Lansing, Kan., at the age of 80. Funeral services are planned for Tuesday, Dec. 17, in Kansas. CLICK HERE to read the obituary.

Horne dedicated her career in public education and with NISD, working more than 30 years as a classroom teacher and as the district’s curriculum director. She and her husband Duane moved to Lansing in 2014.

Horne was a Nacogdoches native. She attended elementary school in Martinsville and graduated from Nacogdoches High School. She then earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University with a dual major in science and math.

Horne’s ability to teach math benefited generations of students, Penny Long said, calling Horne “truly legendary.” Long is an instructional coach in math at NHS and a dual credit teacher for SFA. 

“As a fellow mathematics teacher, I knew that if the student had Penny Horne for algebra, I had no doubts that they KNEW their algebra and would have no problems with the Honors Geometry class that I was teaching,” Long said. “She gave so many students a strong foundation in mathematics which would follow them through high school and college. 

“She was a fabulous math teacher, and I count myself blessed to have known her.”   

Horne served in a number of positions for Nacogdoches ISD, including curriculum director, before retiring after more than 30 years with the school district.

“Ms. Horne was so important to Nacogdoches ISD, and her impact on the district cannot be overstated,” said Deputy Superintendent Michael Martin. “She was such a caring person who was incredibly talented, simply a wonderful combination for an educator to have. I will always cherish – and never forget – what I learned from her.”