Gladys M. Penner, 91, formerly of Newton and Bentley, died October 28, 2009 at Caton Merchant House in Manassas, Virginia. She was born April 21, 1918 in Downs, Kansas to Reginald and Funora Beam. She was a school teacher in a one-room school near Downs before marrying Martin Penner in 19317.
He passed away in 1987. They settled outside of Bentley in 1949 and built a poultry farm, from which they retired in 1978 and moved to Newton. For many years she took water aerobics classes at Newton Activity Center. She loved to play games, including dominos, Scrabble, pitch and Sequence and she enjoyed working crossword puzzles.
She was an excellent cook and baker, and had a sweet tooth. She was a Christian. She moved to Virginia in 2005 where she enjoyed the activities and people at Caton Merchant House. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Howard,, Chester and Francis Beam and sisters Viola Boland and Amanda Louise Franklin.
Survivors: son, Terry Penner, Madison, Alabama and daughter, Diane Briscoe of Gainseville, Virginia.
A burial service took place at Greenwood Cenetery in Newton. Memorials to Alzheimer's Assoc.
