Obituary for Roberta Pennybaker
G. Roberta Pennybaker, 82
EAST LIVERPOOL – The miraculous journey on earth ended Sunday, February 5, 2023, for G. Roberta Pennybaker and her unencumbered spirit has joined Jesus, family and friends for eternity.
Placed in the loving arms of her parents, the late Charles R. “Bob” Pennybaker and Dollie Heater Pennybaker, on April 27, 1940, in East Liverpool, her life was filled with love and support.
She was a 1958 graduate of East Liverpool High School where she was a member of the National Honor Society, Future Teachers of America, Hi-Tri and sang in the choir each of the four years. Following graduation, she attended Geneva College and Kent State University - East Liverpool Campus.
A lifelong member of the East Liverpool First Church of the Nazarene, she had taught Sunday school in both youth and adult classes and was a youth group leader. She sang in the choir and played piano and, also, served as Secretary of the Board for several years.
Performing duties of a page in Carnegie Public Library while she was still in high school, she began her business career as executive secretary to the manager of the then East Liverpool Review and later became head of the accounting department. In 1977, she transferred to the Herald-Star in Steubenville, Ohio as CFO and office manager, acting during that time as conversation consultant for Thomson Newspaper, Inc., parent company of both newspapers, traveling to newly acquired locations to evaluate and train.
Following the elimination of that position in 1994, she became administrative associate of Frank C. Dawson of the Dawson Funeral Home, moving into other facets of that organization. Her comment always was “I could not write a job description that would be more perfect than where I am and what I do.”
While editing books written by “Digger” Dawson, she also edited for several other self-published authors.
Her activities included membership in Quota International (secretary), Business and Professional Women (secretary) and leader of the Speakers of the House, National Secretaries Association, Advisory Board of the former Ohio Valley Business College, East Liverpool Faucet Community Foundation, East Liverpool Historical Society, East Liverpool High School Alumni Association, Blue & White Touchdown Club, Animal Welfare League, Steubenville, and the Community Choir, along with participating in various fundraising efforts in the East Liverpool area.
She served as secretary for the East Liverpool Zoning Board of Appeals and was the first secretary of the Board of the Way Station of East Liverpool and was a licensed real estate agent in the state of Ohio.
With her mother Dollie, she laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Dialysis Clinic in East Liverpool, and her father Bob was the first patient treated when it opened in 1989.
Her brother and best friend, David C. Pennybaker (Joyce) of Winthrop, MA survives.
Also surviving are two nieces, Lisa Pennybaker of Winthrop, MA and Kimberly Emmerich (David) of Swampscott, MA, as well as a nephew, David C. Pennybaker, Jr. (Venessa) of Burlington, MA. In addition, there are five great nephews, Max, Christian, and Aiden Emmerich, along with Nick and Michael Pennybaker. Three great nieces also survive, Gretchen Emmerich and Sophia and Anna Pennybaker.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved fur persons: Suzi, Tink and Abbercat.
She leaves her amazing and loving friends Belinda Dunlap, MJ Govey, Rhoda Powers, Rhonda Long and Debbie Riggs, who were always there for her in all circumstances of life.
A reader and dreamer, and a lover of words, she used her gifts and abilities to try to make a difference in the lives of others and never ceased to try to make the world a better place - one small space at a time.
Memorial contributions are requested and encouraged to be sent to the First Church of the Nazarene, PO Box 65, East Liverpool OH 43920 or to the “Pennybaker Family Memorial Scholarship Fund”, in care of the East Liverpool City Schools Education and Scholarship Fund (ELCSE&SF), P.O. Box 2646, East Liverpool, Ohio 43920.
Friends may visit at the Dawson Funeral Home Monday where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. Dr. Robert Sylvies will conduct a funeral service at the Riverview Cemetery Chapel Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.
EAST LIVERPOOL – The miraculous journey on earth ended Sunday, February 5, 2023, for G. Roberta Pennybaker and her unencumbered spirit has joined Jesus, family and friends for eternity.
Placed in the loving arms of her parents, the late Charles R. “Bob” Pennybaker and Dollie Heater Pennybaker, on April 27, 1940, in East Liverpool, her life was filled with love and support.
She was a 1958 graduate of East Liverpool High School where she was a member of the National Honor Society, Future Teachers of America, Hi-Tri and sang in the choir each of the four years. Following graduation, she attended Geneva College and Kent State University - East Liverpool Campus.
A lifelong member of the East Liverpool First Church of the Nazarene, she had taught Sunday school in both youth and adult classes and was a youth group leader. She sang in the choir and played piano and, also, served as Secretary of the Board for several years.
Performing duties of a page in Carnegie Public Library while she was still in high school, she began her business career as executive secretary to the manager of the then East Liverpool Review and later became head of the accounting department. In 1977, she transferred to the Herald-Star in Steubenville, Ohio as CFO and office manager, acting during that time as conversation consultant for Thomson Newspaper, Inc., parent company of both newspapers, traveling to newly acquired locations to evaluate and train.
Following the elimination of that position in 1994, she became administrative associate of Frank C. Dawson of the Dawson Funeral Home, moving into other facets of that organization. Her comment always was “I could not write a job description that would be more perfect than where I am and what I do.”
While editing books written by “Digger” Dawson, she also edited for several other self-published authors.
Her activities included membership in Quota International (secretary), Business and Professional Women (secretary) and leader of the Speakers of the House, National Secretaries Association, Advisory Board of the former Ohio Valley Business College, East Liverpool Faucet Community Foundation, East Liverpool Historical Society, East Liverpool High School Alumni Association, Blue & White Touchdown Club, Animal Welfare League, Steubenville, and the Community Choir, along with participating in various fundraising efforts in the East Liverpool area.
She served as secretary for the East Liverpool Zoning Board of Appeals and was the first secretary of the Board of the Way Station of East Liverpool and was a licensed real estate agent in the state of Ohio.
With her mother Dollie, she laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Dialysis Clinic in East Liverpool, and her father Bob was the first patient treated when it opened in 1989.
Her brother and best friend, David C. Pennybaker (Joyce) of Winthrop, MA survives.
Also surviving are two nieces, Lisa Pennybaker of Winthrop, MA and Kimberly Emmerich (David) of Swampscott, MA, as well as a nephew, David C. Pennybaker, Jr. (Venessa) of Burlington, MA. In addition, there are five great nephews, Max, Christian, and Aiden Emmerich, along with Nick and Michael Pennybaker. Three great nieces also survive, Gretchen Emmerich and Sophia and Anna Pennybaker.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved fur persons: Suzi, Tink and Abbercat.
She leaves her amazing and loving friends Belinda Dunlap, MJ Govey, Rhoda Powers, Rhonda Long and Debbie Riggs, who were always there for her in all circumstances of life.
A reader and dreamer, and a lover of words, she used her gifts and abilities to try to make a difference in the lives of others and never ceased to try to make the world a better place - one small space at a time.
Memorial contributions are requested and encouraged to be sent to the First Church of the Nazarene, PO Box 65, East Liverpool OH 43920 or to the “Pennybaker Family Memorial Scholarship Fund”, in care of the East Liverpool City Schools Education and Scholarship Fund (ELCSE&SF), P.O. Box 2646, East Liverpool, Ohio 43920.
Friends may visit at the Dawson Funeral Home Monday where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. Dr. Robert Sylvies will conduct a funeral service at the Riverview Cemetery Chapel Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.