Obituary of Gary Penny

On May 7, 2023, we said goodbye to a great man. He left this world the same way he lived his life – on his own terms and surrounded by those he loved most. Gary Penny was a wonderful husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend – the ultimate family man. His is a legacy of kindness, love and family. He leaves behind the love of his life and wife of 50 years, Norma and his two daughters, Tara and Cheryl, sons-in-laws Kurt and Keith and the joys of his life, his grandchildren – Avery, Abby, Rachel, Megan and Kallum. He showed his daughters what a good man, husband and father was. He believed in us and made sure we always believed in ourselves. He had many “#3 daughters” and was always a shoulder to cry on and the first person we called when we needed help or advice or had big news to share. When he became a grandfather, his heart grew even bigger. Known to his five grandchildren, and all of their friends, as Poppy, he was their beloved candy man, teller of scary stories, crazy legs dancer and trusted confidante. He helped shape them into the amazing people they are becoming. He will be missed deeply by so many people who lives he shared in and touched. Family, friends, neighbors. While we can’t name them all, there are some too important to leave out, namely his best friend and baby sister Darlene (Richie) and her family, and the son of his heart, his nephew Paul (Ann Marie) and his family. There were so many who sent messages, dropped off cards or dropped by to tell them the impact he had on their lives. Family. Friends, of his, his daughters, his granddaughters. Old and new neighbors. People who run the local businesses he visited daily. It’s a testament to the person he was and the way he treated people. He left his four grand-daughters and his grandson with two requests. The first was to be good to one another and the second was to believe in themselves. We will all make sure his legacy lives on. We will forever miss his inappropriate jokes, sage advice, crazy dancing, loud laugh and warm hugs. He was a one-of-a-kind and loved by so many. He may be gone but he will never far from our hearts and actions. He made his last days easy for all of us. He was happy and joking to the end and shared his final words of wisdom. He was unbelievably brave and ready to face whatever comes next. We all hope he’s up there having a gab and a drink with all the friends and family who are waiting patiently for the life of the party to arrive. Thank you to everyone who supported him and our family during his illness. All of your kind words, visits and gestures of kindness were appreciated by our dad and all of us more than we can say. It brought him and all of us immense comfort in his last days.