December 9, 1935-September 19, 2024
Stephen D. (Steve) Penny, 88, of Mercer Island, WA, passed away peacefully on September 19, 2024, of natural causes. Our gregarious “Pops” was a bright light in this world, full of love and joy. He never met a stranger and had three important priorities in life: his large family, his Catholic faith, and the University of Notre Dame.
Born in Gary, Indiana in 1935, Steve was the son of the late Anne (Flynn) and Stephen Penny. The Irish-Serbian family included Steve and five siblings (Patricia, Dennis, Daniel, Peter, Cecilia). Steve took on the role of the oldest child after his sister Pat died as a teenager.
Steve graduated from Bishop Knoll High School in 1953 and enrolled at St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kansas (now Benedictine College). The lure of the Fighting Irish prompted Steve to transfer and graduate from the University of Notre Dame in 1957. Following college, Steve enlisted in the Army and served in Germany during peacetime. He then returned to Chicago where he began a lifelong sales career in the steel industry.
In 1961 he met Molly Baker in Birmingham, Alabama, was immediately smitten, and wasted no time marrying her less than a year later. “Big” (for Big Molly) and “Pops” raised a large Catholic family in a fun-loving household: Stephen (married to Beth), Margaret, Christopher (married to Mary), Molly Troy (married to Garth Fort), and Katie (married to Marc Shea). Steve treasured being with their 14 grandchildren: John, Patrick, Michael, Thomas, Katie, Annie, Stephanie, Ella, Sarah, Julia, Molly, Anna, Michael, and Margaret.
After living in Chicago, Houston, Baltimore, and Whittier, California the family moved to Mercer Island, Washington in 1979 and have remained with a deep affection for the community. Steve often traveled for work and was known for delivering giant subway sandwiches at Christmas time to his customers.
Steve and Molly shared a strong bond in their faith, frequently donating their time, talents, and treasure to the Catholic Church. He was the loudest singer in the pews if he wasn’t on the altar. His faith and determination helped him weather difficult health challenges throughout his life, and his family likes to joke that he had nine lives.
Forever a dedicated fan of Notre Dame football, Steve was often seen wearing blue and gold and other Fighting Irish swag. He was a long-time season-ticket holder and active member of the Notre Dame Club of Washington. He also had a love for history and a knack for remembering facts which awarded him spots as a contestant on the 70’s game shows “High Rollers” and “Joker’s Wild”.
Steve loved being around people of all ages and engaging in deep conversation. He also loved weekly visits with his crew at Einstein’s Bagels, the symphony, attending his grandchildren’s sports competitions, everything Irish, and of course, hosting large holiday celebrations which has become a Penny family trademark.
A celebration Mass will take place at St. Monica Catholic Church on Mercer Island Friday, September 27 at 11:00am, followed by a reception at the Mercer Island Beach Club. He will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery in Seattle, where he will forever overlook the beautiful Lake Washington and Cascade Mountains. Rest in peace, Pops! You earned it!
