LOTTE PENNER

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LOTTE PENNER Dear wife, mother and grandmother, Lotte Penner, died at Lions Manor on January 25, 2006 at age 89 years. She leaves to mourn her husband of 63 years, Helmut Penner; daughter Gisela O'Brien (Joe), and son Reinhard Willie Penner (Christine). She is sadly missed by grandchildren, John Edward O'Brien (Rosella Diliberto), Kyna O'Brien and Timothy Thomas O'Brien; and by Heidi Charlotte Wiebe (Tyler), Victor Hermann Penner (Mercedes Muzychuk - fiancee) and Kevin Reinhard Penner. Lotte Penner also is survived, in Germany, by sisters, Lisa Klein and Irma Igney; sister-in-law Ilse Loepp; half-sisters, Lena Kuehl (Heinrich), Gertrud Mohr (Paul); half-brother Alfred Wiebe (Irmgard). She was predeceased by brothers, Kurt and Willi, and half-sister Elfriede Luetje (Adolph). Born January 13, 1917 in Tiegenhagen, West Prussia, Germany, Lotte Penner was the daughter of Albert Loepp and Kaete (nee Harder). After her father's death when Lotte was five years old, her mother remarried a widower (Otto Wiebe) who had children of his own, and together they had more children. Thus it was that Lotte grew up in happy childhood surroundings filled with 14 siblings. She was baptized into the Mennonite faith by Elder Franz Regehr on Pentecost Sunday in 1931 at the age of 14. That year, Lotte moved to Altfelde where she cared for an elderly couple (Jacob Friesens) for three years. Lotte subsequently was the youngest student in her year to complete her Meisterpruefung in Tailoring, with a specialty in Drawing and Design, and established herself in an independent shop. She married Helmut Penner in 1942. Due to the consequences of war, the couple's homeland was lost and they immigrated to Canada with their five year old daughter Gisela in 1949. Under the auspices of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and the sponsorship of Walter and Tina Penner of Landmark, MB, the young family eventually found refuge in Winnipeg. Lotte highly valued the freedom of her adopted country and became a responsible and involved citizen. Son Reinhard was born in 1952 and Lotte worked at several jobs to build a loving home environment for her family. She put her tailoring skills to good use, working as an excellent seamstress and also outfitting her family. She enjoyed working at Sears for a time. Fondly remembered by her students, Lotte taught German language classes for 30 years. She had a love of music, art, theatre and poetry, which she passed on as a legacy to her children and grandchildren. Her heart's delight was her six grandchildren who were the constant recipients of her unconditional love and generosity. Lotte was a concerned and caring Christian, faithful to her beliefs and to her church. The family thanks the staff of Beacon Hill and Lions Manor for their care and support over the past couple of years. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 30, at First Mennonite Church, 922 Notre Dame Ave., with viewing prior to the service. Interment will follow at Brookside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mennonite Central Committee - Global Family Program, 134 Plaza Dr., Winnipeg, MB R3T 5K9. To the family, this program best reflects Lotte Penner's interests in the well-being of others, particularly as it relates to the care for and education of children. FRIENDS FUNERAL SERVICE 339-5555

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 28, 2006