Cecile Penney

Cecile Penney, wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, Godmother, sister, aunt, nurse and friend, passed away on April 13, 2012, at her home.

Her life began in 1937, at Baldwin City, KS. She was the 4th out of 5 children born to Paul and Carrie (Keller) Nearhood Gooding. She was baptized on April 25, 1941, and confirmed in the Lutheran faith on June 17, 1951, at St. John s Lutheran Church where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday school and was active in the Walther League. At age 10, her family moved to Tampa, Kansas to care for her invalid paternal grandmother.

She graduated from Tampa High School with honors and Stormont-Vail School of Nursing with special recognition in surgical nursing.

She married Howard L. Weyand on February 17, 1957. To this union were born two children, Jolene and Kevin. Howard preceded her in death on December 24, 1979. She married Donald Penney on July 31, 1982. He preceded her in death on January 7, 2011.

Her career included many areas of nursing. Following graduation she worked at Stormont-Vail Hospital and was trained to work in the first Intensive Care Unit in Topeka. Cecile was also employed by Dr. Prokop and retired from the office of Dr. Collins. In 1981 she was hired by Memorial Hospital to work with Dr. Kovarik to develop the Ophthalmology Lab. When Memorial Hospital closed she moved the lab to St. Francis Hospital, where it became the Stock Eye Institute. She was certified in the field of Ophthalmology. She also did relief school nursing, worked in the summer program of Project Head Start and for 7 years was employed in an Orthopedic Office. Cecile was a life member of Stormont-Vail Alumni, a member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Nurses, and past member of the Orthopedic Nurses Association. She was a life member of the VFW Auxiliary Post 1650 and a life member of the American Legion Post 400. Cecile served on the board at Topeka Lutheran School and was a Brownie Scout Leader. She attended Faith Lutheran Church and was a charter member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, where she served on the first board, the altar guild, and was a trained Stephen Minister. She was a board member of the Thrivent local unit, served several years on the Allied Heath Committee at St. Francis Hospital and she volunteered for the Heartland Share program. She cared for her husband, her parents and her sisters-in-law for many years. She enjoyed helping her friends and neighbors. She loved to dance and travel, but her greatest joy was being with her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Howard; and her second husband, Donald.

She is survived by two children, Jolene (Roy) and Kevin (Andrea); four grandchildren, Stephanie, Shaine (Lindsey), Christina and Brandon; one sister, Lucille; three brothers, Virgil, Alfred and Elmer; six godchildren, Kim, Shirley, Glenn, Alan, Carrie and Denise. She is also survived by four stepchildren, four step-grandchildren, and one step-great-granddaughter.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 18, 2012, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 3625 SW Wanamaker Rd., Topeka, KS 66614. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Topeka. Mrs. Penney will lie in state after 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, at the Penwell-Gabel Southwest Chapel, 3700 SW Wanamaker Rd., Topeka, where the family will receive friends from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church or to the Juvenile Diabetes Association, 26 Broadway, 14th Fl., New York, NY, 10004.