Class of 1958

David George Penney, Ph.D.

College Professor of Physiology

Royal Oak Historian

Published Author

David George Penney was a January, 1958, graduate of Royal Oak Dondero High School. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Wayne State University in 1963; a master of science degree in 1966, and a Ph.D. in 1969 from UCLA.

Dr. Penney became a faculty member at the University of Illinois-Chicago before taking a position at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1977. He served as a professor of Physiology at Wayne State until his retirement in 2006.

David Penney served as Director of General Surgical Research at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan where he directed the scholarly activities of surgical residents and attending staff physicians.

The dominant interest of Dr. Penney has been the medical and scientific aspects of carbon monoxide. He is regarded as an international expert on the effects of acute carbon monoxide posing as well as chronic, low-level CO poisoning. He has authored several books and scholarly papers and in 1997 was one of twelve international experts invited by the World Health Organization to develop global CO standards.

David George Penney lives with his wife, Linda, in Royal Oak. In fact, he is a fifth generation resident of Royal Oak and a local historian. His great-grandfather, Frank Lincoln Knowles, at one time owned the land on which the Dondero/Royal Oak Middle school now stands. Along with Lois Lance, he authored a Royal Oak history book: Royal Oak Twigs and Acorns. He also serves as webmaster for the "Historic Royal Oak" website. Dr. Penney was inducted into the Royal Oak High School Hall of Fame in 2006.