Patricia Ann "Penny" Budzien

Patricia (Penny) Ann Budzien, age 81, of Yukon, entered eternal rest on February 27, 2026. She was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on August 19, 1944, to John Hiram and Elizabeth Marie (Arseneaux) Gibson. When Penny was four years old, the family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She graduated from Pulaski High School.

Penny married the love of her life, Brian Budzien, in 1963. Shortly after marrying, the young couple moved to Rockford, Illinois, for Brian's job. While in Rockford, Penny and Brian's three children were born: Scott, Elizabeth, and John.

Over the next 20 years, the family moved many times for Brian's job and lived in many different cities: Zion, Chattanooga, Memphis (twice), Dallas, Jacksonville, and Birmingham. In 1999, Penny and Brian moved to Oklahoma City.

While in OKC, Penny worked for the Dean McGee Eye Institute as an insurance pre-certification specialist. She was excellent at her job and loved the people she worked with. She retired after 20 years.

Penny was very active in many different areas of her life. She was a devoted member of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Yukon. She served in a myriad of ways: altar care, assistant minister, Bible Study leader, hospitality, confirmation teacher, and so many others. She especially loved doing the children's sermon. She also was part of the OK-AR Synod Church Council for the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). Penny was a part of the Yukon Library Club and served on the library board. She was active in her neighborhood HOA. She was an artist and enjoyed painting, drawing and cake decorating. Her family was very important to her, and she loved them deeply. She even had a soft spot for her grandpups.

Penny is preceded in death by her parents, her two brothers, Mike and Bobby, and her step-granddaughter, Yasmin.

She leaves behind her loving husband of almost 63 years, Brian; her children, Scott Budzien and wife Thuy and their children My Linh and Liem, Elizabeth Toivonen and husband Trevor and their children Sarah and Jake and grandchildren April and Bridget, and John Budzien and wife Joanne and their son Fred.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Penny's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or to the ELCA World Hunger Initiative.

A memorial service is being held on Saturday, March 28th, at 10am at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Yukon.