Obituary

Dennis Anthony Penka passed peacefully from this Earth and joined his Lord on January 5, 2022.

Dennis was born September 9, 1960, to Lucas Lee Penka and Georgia Mae Penka as the middle of five children in Slaton, Texas. The family moved around across Colorado and Texas, finally settling down in Petersburg, Texas, where Dennis graduated from Petersburg High School in 1979. He went on to be awarded for excellence in diesel mechanics and receive his associates degree at South Plains College. It was during his college years that he met Donna Carroway. November of 1987, they welcomed Meggan Alexandria into the world, curbing a refrigerator shopping trip with Dennis’s Mother. The two married December 19, 1987, during which he gained a daughter, Victoria-Ruth Angelique, and a son, Leslie William. The couple attended Parkview Baptist Church. Following the passing of his wife in 2011, Dennis met Nancy Gibson, who also attended the same church. With the help of two of his grandkids, he and Nancy started dating, later getting married January 2, 2015. Dennis was a devoted husband, often coming in from the farm to surprise Nancy during the day and making time to have dinner together each night. Following his stroke in 2018, the two began attending Harvest Christian Fellowship, where Dennis fell in love with the music and was often found in Kid’s City looking at the trains. During Dennis’s stay at Plainview Healthcare Center, he and Nancy could be found eating together, with occasional flirting across the table.

Dennis worked as a lineman and mechanic, but his life’s work was farming. Acquiring the nick name Farmer Fred by his children, Dennis was a dedicated farm hand for most his life; up and out of the house before the sun came up and working on into the night. When the weather didn’t allow outside work, Dennis would be found in the barn working on any piece of equipment that required repair, or he felt needed an alteration to work better. John Deere was his tractor of choice and often voiced how he could teach the engineers how to build better machinery.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Nancy Gibson Penka, daughter, Meggan Bass and husband Brandon of Olton, daughter, Victoria Nelson of San Antonio, son, Leslie Crandell of Lubbock, brother, Micheal Penka and wife Jana of Plainview, sister, Amy Dobberstein of Lubbock, sister, Pam Cox and husband Alton of Littlefield, stepdaughter, Jo Rowell and husband Reed of Plainview, and stepson, Brian Simmons of Amarillo. As well as, several nieces and nephews, and fifteen grandchildren.

Dennis is preceded in death by his father, Lucas Lee Penka, and mother, Georgia Mae Penka, first wife, Donna Marlene Penka, sister, Lisa Sue Penka Stinson, step-daughter, Lori Grant, and granddaughters, Kallie Grant and Tehya.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, January 22, 2022, at Bartley Funeral Home Chapel in Plainview, Texas

Honorary pallbearers are Reed Rowell, Leslie Crandell, Brandon Bass, Ricky Carroway, Spud Davis, and Patrick McLaurin.