Joan (Taylor) Pennington

We the surviving children of Joan Pennington (nee Taylor); Mike, Greg, Mark, Tim, Laura, Jim, and David with a touch of sadness though mostly a deep sense of reverence and love; wish to announce her passing on Saturday September 18, 2021. A few weeks ago, perhaps sensing this day, she mentioned to some that she wanted her family, (immediate and extended) to know that she loved them all and that she had lived a long and good life. To our late father she was “Jo-Ann”. To us she was mom. To her Taylor nieces and nephews, she was known as “Aunt Jo”. To so many others, grandchildren and great grandchildren alike, she was simply but lovingly known as “Grandma”.  

          With her passing she returns to her Father in Heaven to join with her loved ones who preceded her departure from this veil of mortality. Our temporary loss is their joyful reunion. She joins her late husband, Gilbert Eugene “Bud” Pennington, her daughter Pamela Ann “Pam” Shirley (nee Pennington), her parents, her brother, at least one great grandson, as well as many generations of ancestors, some of whom she knew and loved as a young child before they passed away.  

          Born on October 7, 1926 she was about three weeks shy of her 95th birthday when she finally succumbed after numerous visits to the emergency room in a period of about three weeks. She was fighting a virulent infection that resisted the best of treatment. After the final visit she returned to the Luther Woods Rehabilitation and Nursing home in Hatboro, Pennsylvania just a day before her passing. She was just entering a period of hospice care, and the end was in an environment of peace and comfort. To our relief, she was not suffering.    

          She began life in Ohio, then moved to Indiana with her parents where she met and married her husband, a veteran of World War II, in May of 1948. After the birth of their three eldest children, they moved to Southern California in the early 1950’s where dad was stationed with the Marine Corps. It was here that their remaining five children were born. Following the death of her husband in 1997, mom continued living in Hemet California for almost five years when she joined her two daughters, sharing an apartment in Hatboro in early 2002. With a few rehabilitation visits to Luther Woods, she finally became a permanent resident there in 2011. This has been her home for over 10 years. We are grateful to many in Luther Woods who treated mom with patience, kindness and love for so long. She had many friends there who made her life meaningful, and fulfilling. We are also grateful that relatively speaking, any final suffering was greatly minimized by the intervention of professional caregivers. 

          One final note. Mom’s love and faith in God and Jesus Christ was reflected in the way she treated her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Though criticized at times for her “large family” mom never regretted her choice and she always found joy, happiness and fulfillment from them. In the last ten years it was a rare day when she did not receive multiple phone calls from her loved ones. I find it easy to say of her that we loved her because she first loved us. We could not have had a better mother. She will be missed, but not forgotten.  

          Mom was loving and friendly but unassuming, never seeking to be the center of attention. As such we honor her request for no public services after her passing. With gratitude to those who may wish to honor her at this time, we encourage you to make a donation to a charity of your choice.  

          We love you mom. Rest in peace until we reunite in Heaven. 

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