Penelope Mae Kirk

Penelope Mae Kirk

April 12, 1942 – October 31, 2023

Penelope Mae Kirk was born on her grandparents' farm close to Hampton Nebraska on April 12, 1942. Her family soon moved to Kearney, NE, where she attended a one room public school. She developed a lifelong love of reading during her time in school in Kearney, NE. The Kirk family moved to Lincoln Nebraska in 1952 where Pennie completed high school, graduating a year early. She attributed her early graduation to her success with reading. She attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, graduating with an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education. This is also where she met her first husband, Don Kelly. While Don pursued a medical degree and met his military obligation as a physician in Vietnam, Pennie completed her pilot's license and completed a master's degree in childhood education.

Pennie moved with Don to Houston, Boston, and San Francisco. She taught kindergarten in Houston and Concord, MA. While in Massachusetts, Pennie developed the kindergarten curriculum for the State of Massachusetts. During this time, she and Don also traveled throughout Europe on a camping adventure. She said many times that hotel rooms were better than camping. Her preferred camp site became Four Seasons Hotel rooms. The couple moved to Rapid City in the early 1970s. During the 1970s, Pennie worked for Tom Daschel setting up volunteer call centers in Sioux Falls for the Congressman's early campaigns. She was also active in the Presidential Campaign of 1976 hosting Rosalynn Carter as a guest in their home during a campaign visit to Rapid City, SD. Pennie made sure that the plaque identifying her house as a location of a First Lady visit stayed with the house.

In the last 70s, Pennie joined the Rapid City Planning Commission. She was the first woman to be a member of the Commission and she eventually became chairperson. During this time, she and Don separated, and Pennie met Knute Knudson who became her husband several years later. Pennie also completed two master's degrees in the late 70s and early 80s. She also had enough graduate hours for her PhD although she did not pursue a dissertation. In 1982 she managed the legislative campaigns for Knute and even registered as a Republican to vote for him in the Primary elections. She changed her registration very quickly after the primary election. Knute and Pennie moved to Washington D.C. in the late 80s when Knute joined the administration of President George H.W. Bush. They lived on Capitol Hill in a traditional row house a few blocks from the Capitol. Pennie would frequently head to the Capitol to watch interesting Congressional debates. She also attended several State of the Union addresses. While in Washington, she took courses in Baseball, President Jefferson, and Mystery Book writers. Famous politicians, baseball managers and owners, and writers were often the lecturers for the courses. They also were privileged to use the Presidential Box at the Kennedy Center for numerous concerts. The Independence Day fireworks on the mall afforded the opportunity for numerous nieces, nephews, and friends to visit. Pennie developed a regular route through the many museums of the Smithsonian System for all the relatives and friends to enjoy. Young nephews and nieces enjoyed the dinosaur bones, Hope Diamond, and American History. During their time in Washington, Pennie and Knute traveled to Paris, Tunisia, Mexico City, and many other Latin American and European locations. They also visited many of the cultural and historic locations on the East Coast. They were active in the Washington Symphony and Civil War Battlefield preservation. Pennie and Knute were privileged to represent the United States at World Heritage Conferences in Paris, Tunisia, Mexico City, and Santa Fe, NM during their time in Washington.

In 1992, Pennie and Knute moved back to Rapid City, SD when Knute joined a small gaming company with exclusive rights for equipment sales to Tribal Governments throughout the United States. While at Hart Ranch South of Rapid City, they developed a very close relationship with the Buntrock and Cowling families. Kelly and Sam Buntrock became very close to Pennie. In more recent years Taylor Cowling and Molly Cowling became close to Pennie Both Sam Buntrock and his father Kevin made visits to Reno during Pennie's final few weeks. During all these years, Pennie and Knute would spend Thanksgivings and Christmas with the Buntrock family. They would also travel to Columbia, MO to spend Thanksgivings with Pennie's sister, Pam, and her husband Willie. Pam's family would join for a large family gathering sometimes numbering 30 people. International Game Technology, Inc. purchased Sodak Gaming in the late 90s. IGT moved Pennie and Knute to Reno. While in Reno for 22 years, Pennie was active with the Reno Philharmonic, Reno Chamber Orchestra, The Eddy House, and the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. At Good Shepherd, Pennie was a member of the Choir, a member of the HR Committee, and organized Tables of Grace. Pennie and Knute also traveled extensively visiting London multiple times, Amsterdam, all the Scandinavian countries several times, and Poland, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium. While in Reno, Pennie developed a love of Giant's baseball. She and Knute traveled many times to San Francisco for games and eventually bought a Winter House in Scottsdale that enable them to enjoy Giants Spring Training. She loved being in Arizona for several months a year. And she loved Bruce Boshy and Buster Posey. Throughout her life, she completed the NY Times and the LA Times Crossword puzzles every morning. As one of her close friends said, "Pennie knew all the words."

She is survived by her husband, Knute, with whom she shared life for 44 years and with whom she shared marriage for 27 years. She is also survived by her sister, Pam of Columbia, MO; her Aunt, Rachel Lee from Glen Carbon IL; her cousin, Kathy Klein from Omaha, NE; and numerous nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by parents, Horace Van Kirk; her mother, Luretta Mae Kirk; her brothers: Tom Kirk, Tim Kirk and Kenneth Kirk. A celebration of her life is planned for after the holidays on January 13th "at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd."