Ella Irene Penner

1921 - 2010

Ella Irene Penner 1921 - 2010 Ella Irene Penner of Shafter, California died of a silent heart attack on September 22, 2010 in Glendale, California at the age of 89 years and 7 months. She was born on February 22, 1921 in Hepburn, Saskatchewan, Canada to Abram B. and Elizabeth (Janzen) Wiebe. She was the youngest of 12 siblings. The family lived on a farm and some of her earliest memories are of a piano and organ which several of her sisters played. Her father played violin and accordion by ear and taught these to several of the children. He was known for playing at barn dances in the community and the older children played for dances in a family band. This was considered a "problem" at that time since dancing was frowned upon in the Mennonite communities. So much music was in the house that it made a distinct impression on Ella at an early age. Her mother died of cancer when Ella was 3 1/2. When she was 5 her father began the process of taking the family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin but he was not able to cross the border because of a disease. He told the children to go ahead (the oldest were adults) and said he would join them when he got well. Soon after, he died in Canada. Ella was given to the oldest sibling, her sister Annie, who was married to Henry Hildebrand. There was no formal adoption in those days but Ella was raised by Henry and Annie as if she was their child. She kept her last name -- Wiebe. Henry became sick with a lung problem and the doctor advised him to move to a hot, dry climate. The family knew of other Mennonites living in the Shafter, area so he moved there and became a farm laborer. He thrived in the climate and became strong. The rest of the family followed him to Shafter in 1926: his wife Annie, their daughter Alvina, their son Bill, and Ella. The family joined the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church. Ella grew up on a farm outside Shafter on Fresno Avenue and attended Shafter grade school and Shafter High School. She was a Campfire Girl and was gifted with the ability to draw. She taught herself piano by ear. During high school, and shortly after, she worked in a photography studio in downtown Shafter. She knew her future husband Johnny H. Penner because he had grown up on a farm next to the Hildebrand's. During World War II Johnny was a conscientious objector and was put to work in several Civilian Public Service wildfire-fighting camps in California. Ella married Johnny on December 1, 1944. He transferred to work in a psychiatric hospital in Salem, New Jersey, so they both worked there on the nursing staff until the end of the war. Ella loved to play piano throughout her life and had an original style: rich, florid, and vigorous, with a Southern Gospel flavor. Beginning in the early 1950s Johnny and Ella began their life-long commitment to the Park Lane Chapel (corner of Park and Mayer Lanes north of Shafter). This was an outreach-ministry of Shafter's Mennonite Brethren Church. Johnny was the superintendent of the small chapel and directed the services, led the singing, and often preached himself. All the while Ella taught Sunday School and played gospel piano for all occasions. Ella became interested in home decorating and furniture; specifically with Early American (Colonial) and Victorian styles. Though her house was small she converted it into a quaint and charming "storybook cottage" full of knick- knacks, art, antiques, and old furniture. Ella was fascinated with gardening and turned her backyard into a "secret garden" of lush vines, ferns, trees, and flowers. In the Spring of 2002 her garden won first place in the Community Chest's "small garden" category and she held an open house for Kern County visitors. Ella worked for years as the supper cook at Kern Crest Manor in Shafter. She was a wonderful cook and her home dinner parties became legendary. Johnny died of a heart attack on November 7, 1990. Ella became a Bible teacher and was known for her inspiring testimony. People sought her out to have her pray for them. She also learned foot massage and had many clients. She was unable to continue taking care of the house and garden by August of 2002 and moved to her son's house in Burbank for six months, and then to Broadview Residential Care Center in Glendale, CA (a retirement home). In 2005 she moved to Broadway Manor, a Skilled Nursing facility next door, where she lived the rest of her life. She became a much-loved resident and the Vice-President of the facility's Residence Association. Ella is survived by her son, Richard (Rick) James Penner (63) of Burbank, CA; her daughter, Elizabeth (Betsy) Lorraine Jost (62) of Fresno, CA; her 3 grandchildren: Geoffrey Jacob Jost (40) of Pasadena, CA; Kate Mary (Jost) Bucher (35) of Lancaster, PA; and Leah Renee Jost (33) of Olympia, WA; and 2 great-grandchildren: Sarah Bucher (7); and Ben Bucher (5). Visitation for Ella will be held at Peters Funeral Home from 2-8 p.m. on Monday, September 27, 2010. A graveside service will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at Shafter Memorial Park and will be followed by a memorial service at Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church beginning at 11:00 a.m. Please sign Ella's guest book at www.GoldenValleyMemorialCare.com Peters Funeral Home - Shafter www.bakersfield.com/obits