Rita Ann (Thompson) Pennybaker

Funeral service for Rita Ann (Thompson) Pennybaker, 83, Lawrence, Kansas will be at 10:00 am on Wednesday, December 11th, 2013 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lawrence, Kansas. Following the service Rita will be put to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery, Lawrence, Kansas. Rita passed away at home at 3:10 am on Saturday, December 7th, with her family by her side.
Friends may call at Warren-McElwain Mortuary, Lawrence, Kansas, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Tuesday, December 10th.
Rita was born June 21st, 1930 in Olathe, Kansas. She attended Holy Trinity Catholic School in Lenexa, Kansas, and graduated from Olathe High School, Olathe, Kansas, in 1948. She graduated from Kansas State Teachers College (Emporia State University) in 1953 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She taught kindergarten in Shawnee, Kansas for two years while going to school.
On July 31st, 1953 she married Dale Pennybaker in Emporia, Kansas. She taught special education, kindergarten, and physical education at Iowa City, Iowa from 1953 to 1956. They lived in Fremont, Nebraska from 1956 till 1964. Then they lived in Minot, North Dakota from 1964 till 1966, and then in Wayne, Nebraska from 1966 till 1969. They lived in Evergreen, Colorado from 1969 until 1989 where she taught physical education and fourth grade at Wilmot Elementary school. She retired from there in 1984.
They moved to Lawrence, Kansas in 1989 where she was active in PEO, Alvamar Women’s Golf Association, Salvation Army Auxiliary, and Redeemer Lutheran Church.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Dale, of the home; a son, Kent Pennybaker and his wife Janet, of Lawrence; a grand-daughter, Atherly, and a grand-son Austin. She is also survived by her brother, Hugh Thompson, Jr., and his wife Arlene, of Gardner, Kansas.
Memorial contributions may be made in her name to Redeemer Lutheran Church or The American Cancer Society and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com