Patricia Louise “Pat” Penning, 93 years old, of Atchison, Kansas passed away November 7, 2017 at the Atchison Hospital surrounded by her loving family.

Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 10:30 AM at St. Benedict’s Church with Rev. Jeremy Heppler, OSB as celebrant.  Interment will follow in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  A parish rosary will be recited on Saturday, Nov. 11th at 9:30 AM at the church, with visitation to follow until time of the mass.  Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Benedict Catholic School Endowment and may be left with the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home with whom final care has been entrusted.  

Pat was born November 1, 1924 in Atchison, Kansas the daughter of Patrick and Mary (Wolters) Knowles.  She attended Hawthorne Elementary, south of Atchison, and the First Deer Creek School.

She and Gerald T. Penning were united in Holy Matrimony on July 14, 1949 at St. Benedict’s Church in Atchison. 

Pat was employed as a housekeeper at St. Benedict’s Abbey Guest House for over twenty-one years before her retirement in 1992.  She was formerly employed at Blair Pancake Mill, Locomotive Finished Materials Manufacturing Company and Electra Company, all of Atchison. 

She was a lifelong member of St. Benedict Parish, where she served as a Eucharistic minister for many years.  She formerly belonged to the Little Flower Circle of the church.  Through the years, Pat loved looking after and spending quality time with her grandchildren and listening to music. 

Survivors include her husband of 68 years, Gerald T. Penning, five daughters, Connie (Jim) Wietharn, Atchison, KS, Joan (Curtis) Blevins, Robinson, KS, Gail (Malcolm) Griffin, Atchison, KS, Lana White, Atchison, KS, Tammie (Randy) White, Atchison, KS, fourteen grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, a dear cousin, Eleanor Ostertag, Atchison, KS, and a dear friend Presley Bussenbarrick. 

She was preceded in death by her 5 brothers, Leonard, Hank, Gene, Ray and Phillip Knowles, and her two sisters, Mary Alice Ruhnke and Bridgette Knowles.