Nancy Marie Penn

Nancy Penn, often referred to as Nancy Pants by her sisters, died on Friday, January 17, 2020. She was the famous daughter of the late Pat Penn & Larry Penn, the Milwaukee folk singer, and sister of Alex Penn, who inspired the “I am a Little Cookie” song.  Well, she was at least famous on South 1st Place in Milwaukee.  She had two amazing sons, Ben Ricca (fiancée Natalie Rose) and Matt (Jessica) Ricca, and she was the grandmother of Charlee Rose Ricca. She is also survived by her sisters Teresa Penn (Lyle Kraning), Sharon (Jim) Monahan, and Genevieve Penn. She has nieces, nephews, and cousins who loved her.

Nancy had a lot of friends. She was a spunky, very bright, somewhat naughty, rather flirty, and a well-loved person. The spunk began early for her. She taught her older sister how to climb out of her crib and it was so bad her parents had to put a screen door on top of her crib to keep her inside at night. Nancy was a passionate member of the Democratic party and someone to consult before any election. She loved the “little guy” in this world, and she also loved vegetables. Her whole yard was a garden of vegetables. We suspected that she loved more than vegetables; however! She learned how to adapt to life without any money, and because she would not repair her car, she used her left arm as a blinker when she drove - even though it was 2019. She did receive some citations. Nancy had wisdom and helped numerous people in her life to believe in themselves. And now it is time to believe in her. We love you Nancy Pants Penn and always will.

A memorial gathering will be held at the Brett Funeral Home, 2001 W. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee on Monday, January 27 from 4PM with a service at 6PM.