Barbara Jean Penner (Hale), beloved grandmother, mother, wife and friend, passed away peacefully in Calgary, in the presence of family on October 06, 2018.
Barb was born in Brooks and raised on a farm near one tree road.
She had to grow up fast being the second born of nine children and was honoured to help her mother run the household.
As a teenager, Barb started working at the Tomboy grocery store. She also worked at Ben’s bowling alley while her father was the manager.
In her early twenties, she took an opportunity to study at Minneapolis St. Paul to train as a clinical lab technician.
Returning to Brooks, she worked at the clinic and later married David Penner. They moved to a farm in Cassils and raised two boys, Scott and Darren.
Besides raising a family, Barb worked at the Horticulture center and enjoyed participating in the community and socializing with the Cassilope ladies.
Barb was an incredible cook and cake maker and had an enduring love for animals, especially her horse ‘Babe’ and dog ‘Sissy’.
Barbs proudest endeavor was starting Brooks Diagnostics, a lab that researched and tested crops for diseases. It was a brave start-up that Barb put her heart and soul into.
Barb will be remembered lovingly and is survived by her seven grandchildren, two sons and seven siblings.
Join us for a luncheon to share stories and remember Barb’s life on Saturday, November 3, 2018 from 12pm to 4pm at the Brooks Legion.
