Susan Penninger Reid

Susan Kae Penninger Reid passed away peacefully on January 16, 2024, having fought a courageous battle against metastatic breast cancer.
Susan was born on May 21, 1956 in Springfield, Missouri to Dr. William Holt Penninger and Marjorie Marie Emmanuel Penninger. It did not take long before her dad nicknamed her "Sweet Sue," perfectly capturing her kind and loving soul. Growing up, she was an avid dancer, incredible artist, loved horses, enjoyed spending her days at the family farm with her dad, and developed many lifelong friendships. She graduated from Glendale High School in 1974, and then went on to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. After earning a Bachelor of Arts from SMU in 1978, she taught elementary art education for several years. A loving and devoted mother, she then shifted her focus to raising her three daughters. She went back to school later in life to pursue her passion of helping those in need, and received a Master's in Counseling from Missouri State University in 2004. As a counselor, she helped many youth in the Springfield community, including through her work with the Greene County Juvenile Justice System, Regional Girls' Shelter, and Lakeland Behavioral Health System.
Susan was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. She had a fun-loving sense of humor that was second to none, and was as compassionate and empathetic as she was funny. Always optimistic and hopeful, she could truly find the silver lining in any situation. She made friends wherever she went, and was quick to lend an ear and offer invaluable advice no matter the circumstances, and without judgment. She enjoyed gardening (especially with her colorful flowers), baking, dancing, live music, and, of course, her cherished happy hours with her friends and family. Perhaps most of all, she loved being "Nana" to her four grandsons, always spoiling them with lots of hugs, kisses, and usually a new toy or two.
Susan was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her daughters, Nicole (Richard) Kamprath of Dallas, TX, Courtney (Joe) Brockmeier of St. Peters, MO, and Danielle Reid of Springfield, MO, her grandchildren, Reid, Owen, and Ryan Kamprath, and Francis "Frank" Brockmeier, her sister Carol (Steve) Minton, her brother William (Kathy) Penninger, Jr., many nieces and nephews, and several special friends.
Susan was deeply loved by many and will be forever missed. She fought fiercely until the very end, but we find comfort knowing that she is now at peace.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 1 at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home at 1:30 pm, followed by a private burial at Hazelwood Cemetery. There will be a celebration of life for all who loved her at Twin Oaks Country Club on Saturday, March 2 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks. Contributions can be made at https://give.bcfo.org/.