Virginia Mae Pennebaker
December 8, 1921 — June 2, 2008
Virginia Mae (Strahm) Pennebaker of Eureka, died on Monday, June 2, 2008 at Gran Villas in Eureka, at the age of 86.
She was born on December 8, 1921, near Bern, the daughter of Chris and Alice Elsie (Sauder) Strahm. They moved to rural Gridley, to a small community called St. Louis, when she was five years old. She attended Oil Field School, and Errett School. She graduated from Gridley High School with the Class of 1939.
She married Frank Pennebaker, on March 24, 1940, at Uniontown. They made their home in Virgil, for one year, then moved to Wichita, where Frank began working for Western Auto, and later for Boeing Aircraft, constructing Boeing B-29’s.
He was then drafted into the United States Army, where he served overseas in Tokyo, Japan, in the Signal Corp. under General Douglas MacArthur. Virginia, Karen, and Myrna, then moved back to Virgil. After Frank returned from the service, they operated a grocery store there for twelve years.
They moved to Eureka, in October 1960, where Frank went to work in the Soil Conservation Service, and she took over the job of Kitchen Manager at Eureka High School cafeteria for fifteen years.
Virginia was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Eureka, the Mothers Guidance Club, the V.F.W. Post #2712 Auxiliary, and the United Methodist Women.
She is survived by her husband, Frank; two sons, Keith Wayne Pennebaker of Westphalia; and Dennis Lynn Pennebaker of Andover; two daughters, Karen Wiley of Wichita; and Myrna Brizendine of Arvada, Colorado; eight grandchildren; and eleven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, and one brother, Virgil Eugene Strahm.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, June 5, 2008, at the First United Methodist Church of Eureka, with Reverend Diana Hill officiating. Inurnment will follow in Virgil Cemetery at a later date. A viewing will be held from 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of Eureka. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home at P.O. Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, which was in charge of service arrangements.
She was born on December 8, 1921, near Bern, the daughter of Chris and Alice Elsie (Sauder) Strahm. They moved to rural Gridley, to a small community called St. Louis, when she was five years old. She attended Oil Field School, and Errett School. She graduated from Gridley High School with the Class of 1939.
She married Frank Pennebaker, on March 24, 1940, at Uniontown. They made their home in Virgil, for one year, then moved to Wichita, where Frank began working for Western Auto, and later for Boeing Aircraft, constructing Boeing B-29’s.
He was then drafted into the United States Army, where he served overseas in Tokyo, Japan, in the Signal Corp. under General Douglas MacArthur. Virginia, Karen, and Myrna, then moved back to Virgil. After Frank returned from the service, they operated a grocery store there for twelve years.
They moved to Eureka, in October 1960, where Frank went to work in the Soil Conservation Service, and she took over the job of Kitchen Manager at Eureka High School cafeteria for fifteen years.
Virginia was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Eureka, the Mothers Guidance Club, the V.F.W. Post #2712 Auxiliary, and the United Methodist Women.
She is survived by her husband, Frank; two sons, Keith Wayne Pennebaker of Westphalia; and Dennis Lynn Pennebaker of Andover; two daughters, Karen Wiley of Wichita; and Myrna Brizendine of Arvada, Colorado; eight grandchildren; and eleven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, and one brother, Virgil Eugene Strahm.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, June 5, 2008, at the First United Methodist Church of Eureka, with Reverend Diana Hill officiating. Inurnment will follow in Virgil Cemetery at a later date. A viewing will be held from 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of Eureka. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home at P.O. Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, which was in charge of service arrangements.
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