Colleen Yvonne Pennington, 79, of Orrick, passed away Thursday, December 4, 2025, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.
Colleen was born on November 15, 1946, in Junction City, KS, the daughter of Millard Joseph and Gladys Agnus (Meredith) Heskett. She was united in marriage to Homer Andrew Pennington of Milford, KS, on July 19, 1964; he preceded her in death on December 3, 2020.
Survivors include: two sons, Bradley (Stacey) Pennington and Gregory (Lisa) Pennington, both of Excelsior Springs; daughter, Christina (Daniel) Schmidt of Excelsior Springs; 10 grandchildren: Britni Pennington, Ashley Forbes, Jessica Pennington, Trevor (Mikala) Pennington, Haley (Tyler) Barton, Kody Pennington, Parker Forbes, Cooper Schmidt, Mike Banks, and Dani Banks; three great-grandchildren: Sawyer Pennington, Stevie Barton, and Sonny Roach; and sister, Barbara (Charles) Luthi of Riley, KS.
In addition to her parents and husband, Colleen was preceded in death by two brothers, Dwight and Robert, and three sisters, Nancy, Charlotte, and Joyce.
Colleen was raised and educated in the area of her birth, attending school in Milford, KS, before graduating from Riley High School. She devoted her early years to being a housewife and homemaker, lovingly raising her family. Once her children were grown, she pursued her passion for helping others and returned to school to become a registered nurse. She earned her associate’s degree from Penn Valley College and later completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Kansas University.
Colleen had a lifelong love for sports and was an enthusiastic fan of KU basketball, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Kansas City Royals. She was also an avid and talented bowler, maintaining a strong average and enjoying many league nights at the Y-Bowl in Excelsior Springs. At home, she could often be found sewing, crafting, or tending to her flowers-her green thumb made every plant flourish. She enjoyed watching old westerns, especially Gunsmoke, and Christmas was her favorite season of all.
She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to South Point Cemetery. They can be left at or mailed to Thurman Funeral Home, 507 East Main Street-P.O. Box 190, Richmond, MO 64085.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, in South Point Cemetery, Orrick. Visitation will be held from 12:30 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond. Please remember to share your memories of Colleen with the family by visiting www.thurmanfuneralhome.com.
Source: KMZU, The Farm
