SANDHILL — The founder of a string of Mississippi fried catfish joints has died at 84.
Son-in-law Mark Case tells WJTV-TV that Roger Penn died Friday morning at his farmhouse in Sandhill. No cause of death was stated.
Penn started Penn’s Fish house in 1967 at a location south of Canton. His children continue to run the family’s chain of more than a dozen restaurants across central Mississippi.
Penn’s has also been an iconic vendor on the midway at Mississippi’s State Fair each fall for decades, offering both catfish and fried chicken on a stick.
Relatives say that beyond the restaurants, Penn was also a champion cattle raiser.
Penn’s funeral will be Sunday at his home in Sandhill, followed by burial in a private cemetery on the farm.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.