Twila M. Penner

Twila (Huebert) Penner was born March 7, 1934 in the family farmhouse near Henderson Nebraska to Henry H. and Anna (Friesen) Huebert. Twila had four brothers and was one of six sisters. As a depression era family they were familiar with hard times. Everyone in the family worked hard, a trait that later in life Twila instilled in her family as well. In 1950 Twila publicly confessed her salvation as a believer in Jesus Christ to her church and was baptized and became a member of the Bethesda Mennonite Church. Twila was a faithful servant of God and active in various churches her entire life. After graduating from high school Twila started teaching at age seventeen in a one room school house near Henderson for two years. Twila then enrolled in Bethel College in 1953 and was going to be a senior in the fall of 1955. However, fate stepped in and changed her life forever when she married Lauren Penner in September of 1955. In 1958 Twila experienced a lot of change in her life. Her first son, Kim, was born in January. Twelve days after Kim was born, Twila went from extreme happiness to extreme sadness as her mother died at age 55 of a heart attack. Later that year Lauren, Twila and Kim moved to Newton Kansas. Twila’s daughter Joni was born in 1960. When Joni was 13 months old Twila enrolled in cosmetology school and received her degree as a licensed hairdresser in 1962. She was a licensed hairdresser for over 50 years. In 1965 the family purchased the Dutch Kitchen restaurant and returned to Henderson. Lauren and Twila both worked in the restaurant. Then in 1966 Rick was born. Several years later the family relocated to Newton when they purchased a printing and publishing company. In 1975 Lauren and Twila sold the printing business and started farming on land half way between Newton and Hesston Kansas. After Lauren and Twila retired from farming, they relocated to Schowalter Villa in Hesston Kansas. They were both very active in the Schowalter Villa Community and in the Hesston Mennonite Church. Twila went to meet her lord and savior on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024. She is survived by Lauren, her husband of 69 years, sons Kim (Lynda) Penner and Rick (Michelle) Penner and daughter Joni Mann, 7 grandchildren, Broc Penner, Brianna McQuay, Chance Penner, Kyle Mann, Kelsey Wiens, Tate Benjamin and Jacob Penner, and 6 great grand children. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 6, 2024 at Hesston Mennonite Church. Burial will take place later at Eastlawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Hesston Mennonite Church Organ Fund in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, PO Box 32, Hesston, KS 67062.

Twila M. Penner

March 7, 1934 - March 31, 2024