January 13, 1937- March 13, 2024
Passed peacefully away into the arms of the Lord on March 13, 2024, Bessie Viola Penney of St. Anthony, NL, in her 87th year. Bessie was born in St. Anthony Grenfell Hospital on January 13, 1937 to mother Mary Jane Taylor (nee Andrews) and father Hubert Taylor. She was the second oldest of her siblings, Reuben, Beatrice, Rosie, Zilda and Glossen. She grew up and attended school in Raleigh until she reached Grade 10. Bessie then moved to St. Anthony, to attend the Grenfell School and stayed with Her Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Albert Elson. When she finished school, she stayed with her grandmother Beatrice Andrews in the Annex and worked alongside of her in the hospital laundry. This was during the time of the TB outbreak and the Old Sanatorium. On their days off, they would go visiting all of their relatives.
After the summer she moved to teach in Boat Harbour for about a year. The next stint of her teaching career took her to Ireland Bight around 1954. She boarded with George and Martha Reid during that year in Ireland Bight; she enjoyed teaching all of the children and often spoke of the young mischievous boys who were always up to no good. As she loved lots of fun herself, she said it was hard for her to contain her laughter so she might have to turn back on to the kids and crack a smile. During her off hours away from school she reminisced about the “FUN” they had while she was there. There were tricks played on this one and that one. A group usually gathered at the Reid’s homestead for a game of Flinch during the evening hours. This brought about much laughter and jokes. Bessie often recalled that there was one fellow who cheated but it was all in fun. Ruby Johnson (daughter of Martha and George Reid) recalled that Reuben Patey who played Flinch with the friends the night before would come round the next day and pull 2 or 3 Flinch cards out of his pocket. Ruby also recalled that Bessie went home for Christmas that year when her Dad came by dog team to pick her up. The following year, Bessie moved back to St. Anthony and began working at Wentworth Stores, where she met the love of her life, Morris Penney. They married in 1957 and later had and raised two beautiful daughters, Dale and Lois. In 1985, they were blessed with their first grandchild, Penney-Lynn, and five years later, in 1990, blessed with their second grandchild, Zachary. They were the joy of Morris’ and Bessie’s hearts. They were later in life blessed with four beautiful great-grandchildren, Reid, Olivia, Isabella and Grayson.
She leaves to mourn with many beautiful memories, her daughters Dale (Scott) and Lois (Hank), loving grandchildren, Penney (Nathan) and Zach (Vanessa), precious great-grandchildren Reid, Olivia, Isabella and Grayson, sister, Rosie and brother, Glossen (Bernice), special sister-in-law, Marie (Wayne) Eaton, as well as a very large circle of nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Bessie is predeceased by her husband, Morris, sisters Beatrice and Zilda, brother Reuben, parents, Mary and Hubert Taylor, mother and father-in-law, Ida and Malcolm Morris Penney, nephew, Malcolm Eaton, brother-in-law’s Ronald Penney, Val Taylor and Ralph Elliott and special grandson-in-law, Matthew Reid.
Bessie is fondly remembered for her kind, nurturing nature, her humour and wit! Over the years, she gained many special and lasting friendships through working at St. Anthony Cosmetics, and Consumers Pharma Choice (formerly, Shopper’s Drug Mart), and was well known for her attention to detail, dedicated work ethic and her shining personality and smile. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
Visitation to take place from Kerry M. Fillatres Funeral Home in St. Anthony. Private visitation will take place on Thursday, March 14, 2024 from 7-9 pm to be followed by public visitation on Friday, March 15, 2024 from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm. A private funeral will take place on Saturday, March 16, 2024 from the funeral home at 2:00 pm with Carol Roberts and Minnie Morris officiating. Cremation to follow with inurnment at a later date.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to Kerry M. Fillatre Funeral Home, St. Anthony and Roddickton, Alicia Reardon, Funeral Director.