Information taken from the May 26, 1996 Decatur Alumni Banquet booklet

     2 years after graduation, I married Lucille Gatewood.  We farmed in Quinnebaugh district with my father until his death in 1964.  After Lucille's death in 1965, I married Erma Mussack.

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February 17, 1928 - March 5, 1998

Forrest Lynn Penny was born February 17, 1928 to Bernard and Ethel (Farrens) Penny in a three room log house in Martin, SD.  He is the fifth born of nine children, including one brother and seven sisters.  He passed away Thursday, March 5, 1998, at Tekamah Nursing Home after a long illness.  He was 70 years old.

He moved to Decatur, NE, in 1935 with the family.  He farmed with his Dad and attended school in Decatur, graduating in 1946.

Forrest married Lucille Gatewood on December 18, 1948.  They lived and worked on the family farm.  They have four children: Cindy, Joel, Phil and Sandy.

Forrest and his Dad cleared the timber on Lake Quinnebaugh Island with axes.  They used hand saws and two-man chain saws to cut down trees.  They cut the logs into lumber with their own sawmill and used it to put up several buildings on the home place.

Forrest and his father continued to farm together until Bernard's death in 1964, then took on the work with the help of his wife and children.

His wife, Lucille, died following a long illness in August, 1965.  In 1967, Forrest asked his brother, Elvin, to join him in the farm operation offering him half interest in all the livestock and equipment.

Forrest married Erma Alexander Mussack, January 8, 1969 adding five children to the family:  Joe, Bob, Jean, Mary Alice and Danny.

He continued to farm until 1979 when he suffered a stroke at the age of 51.

Forrest dedicated his life to family and farming.  He enjoyed family gatherings and cook-outs and was particularly fond of telling stories.

Forrest's friends can recall Forrest catching them off guard with a story and how tickled he would get at their reaction.  Many may recall the article and picture in the Plaindealer about the coveted "Jackalope" that he and Dean Major bagged.  The animal had the body of a jack rabbit and the horns of an antelope.

Forrest was preceded in death by his father, Bernard Penny; his mother, Ethel Farrens Penny; a sister, Norma Banner; his brother, Elwin Penny; wife, Lucille Gatewood Penny and grandson, Kennedy Mussack.

He is survived by sisters: Wilma Maddox of Long Beach, CA; Lois Ericksen of Upland, CA; Helen Ericksen of Alta Loma, CA; Bonnie Banner of Read Oak, TX,; Elaine Smith of Lyons, NE; and Jeanine Penny of Rossville, KS.

His children include:  Cindy Mussack of Omaha; Joel Penny of Decatur; Phil Penny of Decatur; Sandy Brummond of Craig; Bob Mussack, Omaha; Jean Wiersma, Decatur; Mary Alice Christ of Overland Park, KS; Dan Mussack of Blair and Joe Mussack of California.

Forrest has 19 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Funeral Services were held Monday, March 9,1998, at 1 p.m. at Decatur City Hall.