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LEONIE PENNEY Obituary
PENNEY LEONIE PENNEY Died peacefully in her home in Greenbelt, MD on Monday, July 22, 2013 at the age of 95. Leonie was born on March 29, 1918 in The Hague, the Netherlands, to a Jewish family, the only child of Bernard and Olga Snatager. Growing up in the Netherlands Leonie earned her Master's degree in Economics in 1940 from the University of Amsterdam, the first woman in her field to do so. Leonie survived the Holocaust of World War II by adopting an assumed identity and going underground. In 1948, she emigrated to the United States with her job as Senior Economist for the World Bank. She met Walter Penney at the International Student House in Washington, DC and they married on October 11, 1952. After raising three children, she took a position as a Systems Analyst with the Department of Agriculture. Leonie further received a second Masters Degree in Computer Sciences from the University of Maryland. After retiring from the Department of Agriculture she established her own home-based database consulting firm, Penney Associates. Leonie loved her American hometown of Greenbelt, MD. Throughout the 56 years she lived in Greenbelt, she served the community through her involvement with the Greenbelt Co-operative nursery, GIVES, Greenbelt Cares, the swim team, Twin Pines Savings and Loan, the Recycling Community, the Senior Citizens' Advisory Board, the Greenbelt News Review and the Widowed Person's Support Group. Leonie won numerous medals at Senior Olympics events. She was awarded Greenbelt's Citizen of the Year in 2008; she received the Greenbelt Outstanding Service award for her work on the Senior Advisory Board, and she received a Governors Citation from Governor O'Malley of Maryland in 2013. Leonie was instrumental in creating the body of work dedicated to her childhood friend Etty Hillesum. These works detailed the struggles Etty endured in concentration camps during the war through her diaries and letters to Leonie. She dedicated the Etty Hillesum memorial at the National Holocaust Memorial in Washington DC, and was invited back 20 years later as one of the last remaining survivors, where she was met by President Clinton. Leonie is survived by her daughter, Olga Garber (and Jon) of Leesburg, VA; son, Bernard (and Julie) of Pittsboro, NC; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed. The memorial service and reception for Leonie Penney will be held at the Greenbelt Fire House Meeting Hall, 125 Crescent Road, on Sunday, August 4 at 4 p.m. The memorial service and reception for Leonie Penney will be held at the Greenbelt Fire House Meeting Hall, 125 Crescent Road, on Sunday, August 4 at 4 p.m.
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Memories and Condolences
for LEONIE PENNEY
August 26, 2013
My sincere sympathy to the family. Leonie inspired me to continue my path in the federal government in Information Technology and later in my career I moved into Management. My family enjoyed the soical events that we shared with her and her family. She was a kind person and was always willing to help others. Leonie was instrumental in organizing the Federally Employed Women (FEW) chapter in Beltsville at USDA. She encouraged so many women to continue their education and to work hard to obtain the career that they deserved. Leonie was a great role model for all and she will truly be missed. May God continue to comfort the family. Hazel Wood and family
August 26, 2013
My sincere sympathy to the family. Leonie inspired me to continue my path in the federal government in Information Technology and later in my career I moved into Management. My family enjoyed the soical events that we shared with her and her family. She was a kind person and was always willing to help others. Leonie was instrumental in organizing the Federally Employed Women (FEW) chapter in Beltsville at USDA. She encouraged so many women to continue their education and to work hard to obtain the career that they deserved. Leonie was a great role model for all and she will truly be missed. May God continue to comfort the family, Hazel Wood and Family
Ruth Samuels Hirsch
August 13, 2013
Leonie and Walter were both extraordinary people. I met them as a fairly young child. They were friends of my parents, and we also connected personally. Year ago, I remember Leonie noticed I was reading Krishnamurti, and spoke of how much she liked and appreciated his work too. Seeing her again years later with my husband, it was clear this she very special, with great appetite for being alive.
My best to Olga and Family, Bernard and Family and of course to Walter's daughter and son.
Gloria Brown
July 30, 2013
Mrs. Penney and her family attended the YMCA Camp Letts family camp for as long as I worked there. (over 20 years) She was the one that got her family together for this wonderful tradition. When she called the office, she always introduced her self, THIS IS LEONIE PENNEY! I always knew it was her before she said her name. Her voice was always so sweet. She was an amazing women, who shared her love of life with everyone. She will be missed!
Alexander Belinfante
July 30, 2013
I have fond memories of Leonie. She was the only one in the US outside of my immediate family that knew my family members in Holland.
Dave Cahn
July 30, 2013
I have such fond memories of Leonie and of Walter. They opened their home to us for one of the first CHEGSIG gourmet cooking feasts (real Mexican) back in the 1970's and, for several decades, hosted many other Mensa events. Walter turned me on to the armchair road rallies he loved so well. After he passed, I kept in touch with Leonie over the years--sometimes in person, sometimes electronically--always enjoying her insights and wit. I will miss her greatly. Zikhronah livrakha, may her memory be a blessing to us all.
Deborah Johnson
July 29, 2013
Leonie was a very special person. She encouraged many women throughout her career. Leonie was always willing to give advice. I ran into her several years ago and she told me that she was still swimming. What a wonderful life she lead, and she will never be forgotten.
Karen McFarland
July 28, 2013
Leonie was a great woman. I'm glad to have known her.
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