Isabelle Harris Penny

Isabelle Harris Penny August 30, 1931 – September 3, 2016 Isabelle Harris Penny was born in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania in 1931. When she was six years old, one of her uncles gave her a pony. From that moment on she developed a passion for horses. Throughout her years up through high school, she took care of her horse named ""Buck"" at a barn near her house, and rode along the banks of the Susquehanna River. In the summers, she went up to Bear Lake in the Pocono Mountains, and her horse went with her. She had a wonderful childhood, and often remarked that she loved being out in nature at Bear Lake. She attended to college at Bucknell University, and graduated in 1953 with a degree in Biology. She worked for a time in New York, and then told her parents that she wanted to ""see the world."" In that era, young women did not travel on their own. Her family had relatives – Uncle Walter Harris and his wife Wendy - who were stationed with the US State Department in Tripoli, Libya. Libya might not have been her first choice of places to go in the world, but it was her only option at that point, so she went. Her adventurousness was rewarded, as she met her future husband, Roy Penny, in Libya. Roy Penny was working for a US government contractor in Tripoli building a Strategic Air Command air base. He had been raised on a farm in Oklahoma, and he also had a horse named ""Buck"" when he was young. Roy and Isabelle were married in 1954 in Tripoli, Libya. After their marriage, they spent 3 years travelling and living in Libya, Ethiopia, the Middle East and Europe. This was a magical time for them. They returned to the United States in 1957 to start a family. Roy Penny Jr. was born in 1958 and Chris Penny in 1962. When her youngest child entered 5th grade, Isabelle went back to college and earned a Masters degree in English. In 1972, she started teaching at a school called the ""New School,"" which had broken off from a more prestigious school in Newport. She taught sixth, eighth and ninth grade English. This was a true calling for her. She focused on teaching students the fundamentals of writing, so that they would be able to communicate effectively. Also during this time, in 1975 she and her husband Roy purchased a 38 acre farm in Middletown, Rhode Island. They raised polled Herford cattle, and she again enjoyed a life out in the country. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the New School was in a tenuous financial situation, and Isabelle took on administrative duties as the Assistant Principal, in addition to her teaching duties. She faced many challenges at the New School, and worked hard to keep the school alive. It was more than a job – it was a way of life for her. After 21 years, she retired in 1993, with the school in a stable condition. Upon her retirement the school was re-named the ""Pennfield School"" after her. In 1993, Isabelle and Roy sold their farm and moved to Colorado to be closer to their children. In Colorado, she resumed teaching, on a smaller scale, taking care of her grandchildren Roy Lane, Eileen, August, Henry and Isla. Her home was a sanctuary for her grandchildren. She read a host of books to them, such as Beatrix Potter's ""Jeremy Fisher,"" and prepared homemade macaroni and cheese. She kept diaries about the grandchildren's development, which are true gems to read today. When one grandchild had a day off from school, and was offered the option of doing whatever he wanted for the day, August said: ""I want to go to Grand Mi's."" That is the most genuine compliment a grandmother could ever receive. Isabelle is remembered as a warm and open person, whose outgoing personality supported her family and lifted an entire community around her. She cared for so many people over the course of her life. The world that she created for others will live on in character of her family and the hearts of her friends. A Funeral Service will be held Friday, September 30, 2016, 10:00 AM at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia Street, Denver, Colorodo. Please share memories of Isabelle and condolences for her family in the guestbook below.