Elke Heide Pennington

Elke Heide Pennington passed away on July 30, 2024 at home after a hard fought battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Elke was born in Bad Vilbel, Germany in 1943. She is survived by her husband of 20 years, William Menefee Pennington; her daughter Patty Ahner of Palm Bay Florida; her son Larry Amorin and his fiancé Virginia Sarmiento of Newark, California; granddaughters Michelle Louise Ahner and Jacquelyn Marie Ahner of Palm Bay Florida; younger sister, Silvia Kinsel of Bad Vilbel, Germany; and several nieces, nephews and cousins from Germany as well as the United States. 

She was preceded in death by her first husband John Amorin; parents Wilhelm Kramer and Elfreide Alloff Kramer; two sisters, Wilma Klaus and Angela Muth; and her son-in-law Jerry Lee Ahner. 

Elke came to the US as the bride of John Amorin, a member of the US Army force in Germany. They raised two children in Farmingdale, NJ. Elke met her current husband William Menefee Pennington at a Pharmacy Convention. They were both Pharmacy technicians. After marrying William they moved from Boston, MA to Galveston Island where they spent two decades enjoying the Island life. Elke was a committed Christian and the church was an important part of her life. She became active in Trinity Episcopal Church in Galveston where she ushered and handled Prayer requests. She also joined the Citizen’s Police Program. Her smile and her overwhelming love for her family will never be forgotten. 

Funeral services will be held on Monday, August 12, 2024 at 10:30 A.M. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2216 Ball Street, Galveston, with Reverend Jimmy Abbott officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Park East Cemetery in Webster, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Galveston Island Meals on Wheels, 2803 53rd Street, Galveston, Texas 77551 or the Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741. 

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