Our dear friend Penny Catto passed away today. It makes us really sad that she's not around any more. We loved her a lot. She was like a mother to the DH. She was one of the first people who befriended him when he came back to church and he always sat with her in Sacrament Meeting. He helped her take care of her yard when she was in her old house and also helped to clean up the house before it was sold. He's got some pretty good stories about possum droppings. Just ask and I'm sure you can get all the gory details. Penny was also a great friend to the missionaries. They always knew she was good for a meal and would let them do laundry at her house for free. I know a lot of missionaries who considered her their grandma away from home.
In November, Penny fell at church and broke her hip. Around the same time, she suffered a stroke, and then a series of additional strokes both large and small. She was in and out of the hospital and nursing care facilities over the last few months and has been at home for several weeks now. Her daughter and our good friend, Carolyn, has been taking care of her while she's been ill. Over the last few weeks Penny was less and less able to communicate and it was clear that her life here would not extend much longer.
This morning, Carolyn called to let us know that Penny had died. We love them both, so we mourn for the loss of our friend Penny and the loss to our dear friend Carolyn and her family. At the same time, we rejoice that Penny is free of the broken body that she was in and that she is free from pain. She always told us she didn't want to hang around too long if she was really sick and couldn't communicate. We also know that she is now reunited with other loved ones that went before her and there were some great characters that she was looking forward to meeting up with again.
At this time, I'm very grateful for the knowledge I have that there is a life after death. Penny has left us, but she isn't gone.
7 comments:
I am so sorry. She will be missed, but as you said "she has left us but she isn't gone."
Penny is a great lady and I am sure she is very busy in her new life. Thanks for posting, even if it does make me all sentimental.
She will be greatly missed, but I am glad she is free of her pain.
Wonderful, good people leave their mark on the world wherever they are. You do not have to be famous or well-known to be a blessing in someone's life. Not only was Penny a blessing to you (particularly the DH), but I know you were a blessing in her life.
Nice tribute to Penny. I'm glad she's not suffering anymore with a body shutting down from stroke aftermath. Having lost my mom fairly recently to a stroke, it's sad, but you are glad they are not sick anymore.
I liked Penny's candor and brutal honesty with people. It always put a smile on my face, in over serious situations.
Penny is a big part of my G-wood ward memories. And I will always be grateful to her for keeping Pat in line. =)
When I first met her I thought she was mean, but right after I moved out of the ward she and I suddenly became friends and I, all too late, learned what an angel she was. She will be remembered in that ward, and by the people who were lucky enough to experience her (because, really, she was an experience), for many many years.
I owe a lot to Penny. Had I not had our "encounter" my first day in Seattle, I may have never met my husband and had the life I have today. I also owe her for teaching me the importance of forgiving for the said "encounter" and for her forgiving me mostly because she liked my sweet husband. It's one big circle that I'm grateful I've had the opportunity to experience.
I'll miss Penny.
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