LaVerne Penning Callahan, 85, Festus

LaVerne Penning Callahan, 85, Festus

LaVerne Penning Callahan, 85, of Festus died June 15, 2014, at her home. Mrs. Callahan was a regional director for the March of Dimes and a social service director at Westview Nursing Center. She was a member of First Christian Church-Disciples of Christ in Festus and a longtime member of the Jefferson Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, where she served as a volunteer assistant chaplain. Born Dec. 16, 1928, in Chicago, Ill., she was the daughter of the late Mae Adelle (Stout) and Martin C. Holten. She was preceded in death by two husbands: Vernon Henry Penning and Frank Dee Callahan.

She is survived by three daughters: Susan (Raynard) Kearbey of Ovilla, Texas, Holly Lang of Festus and Marcy (Jeff) Statzel of Cadet; two sons: Kerry (Josefina) Penning of Santa Anna, Calif., and Kelly (Rhonda) Penning of Hillsboro; three stepchildren: Michael (Janine) Callahan of Batavia, Ill., Gayle (Dennis) Smalling of Oakville and Susan (Gene) Karr of Herculaneum; a sister: Beverly Wheatley of Chicago; two brothers: Martin C. “Tunny” (Kathy) Holten of Seattle, Wash., and Terrence (Angela) Holten of Chicago; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a sister: Charlene (the late Beryl) Wolfe; and a brother-in-law: George Wheatley.

Visitation is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Friday, June 20, at Vinyard Funeral Home, 616 W. Main, in Festus. Visitation is at 9 a.m. and funeral services are planned for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 21, at First Christian Church-Disciples of Christ, 415 N. Mill St., in Festus, officiated by the Rev. Dennis Heck. Burial will be in Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens in Crystal City.  Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.