Obituary of Sharon Lynne Penner

July 3, 1938 – North Battleford, Saskatchewan

February 12, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Sharon Lynne Penner (nee Mahara), passed away on Monday, February 12, 2024, in Calgary, AB, at the age of 85 years. Sharon was born July 3, 1938, to parents Richard and Eileen (Stuhr) Mahara in North Battleford, SK.

Sharon grew up in Regina, SK, and had many fond memories of running free on the Regina Parliamentary Grounds where she lived with her grandparents, parents, and sister, Sandra. Her grandfather was chief engineer of the Power House for the Parliament buildings, and she joked that as a child, she had the biggest backyard in all of Regina.

As a young woman, Sharon became an accomplished figure skater, pianist, and seamstress, creating many fashionable outfits sewn on a Singer treadle sewing machine. Sharon also participated in some now long-lost traditional Regina events. In 1954, she was the chosen runner-up in the Miss Saskatchewan Roughrider Pageant. The Regina Leader-Post newspaper described Sharon as “vivid, dark with sleek bangs”. She remained a devoted Roughrider fan her whole life and retained an encyclopedic knowledge of all the players for many, many years. In 1955, Sharon and her sister Sandra made their debut at the HMCS Queens Debutante Ball. It was a night of ball gowns and tiaras, as they were formally announced into society as young women. Sharon was crowned Miss Balfour Tech and graduated from Balfour Tech High School in 1956. After high school, Sharon was accepted into a combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technician program in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1959, she returned to Saskatchewan to operate the brand-new Lab and X-ray facility at the Redvers Hospital. This is where she met her future husband, Cliff, a young SaskPower lineman, who wooed her with poetry, songs, and a sense of humor. They had four children – Lori, Gordon, Linda, and Ryan. They lived in Redvers, SK, until 1979, when they then moved to Moose Jaw, SK.

Sharon spent the next forty years volunteering with many community organizations in addition to serving as Executive Director of the National Music Festival of Canada for 10 years.  The Moose Jaw Music Festival and the Moose Jaw Kinsmen Band and Choral Festival were especially close to her heart. Sharon was recognized for her many years of community service in 2010 when she was chosen as Moose Jaw’s Citizen of the Year. After losing her husband Cliff on May 19, 2019, Sharon moved to Calgary, AB, to be closer to family.

Sharon leaves behind a family who loved and respected her deeply. She is survived by her children, Lori Karen Durand (Marcel) of Calgary, AB, Gordon Bradley Penner (Cindy) of Brooks, AB, Linda Dawn Prefontaine (Daniel) of Albion, Idaho and Ryan Jeffery Penner (Sherry) of Kindersley, SK; grandchildren, Whitney, Mitch, Carmen, Carolyn, Michelle, Paris, Jade, Joshua, Eli, and Cadanse; and her mother Caralee; great-grandchildren, Ellie, Elijah, and Benson; and her beloved only sister, Sandra Lee Train; as well as her niece and nephew, Lesley Anne and Brian Train, all of Sydney, B.C.

Sharon asked that she be cremated, and we are honoring this request through McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes in Calgary, AB.

Please join us as we celebrate Sharon’s life in a place she loved, Wakamow Valley, (Kinsmen Wellesley Pavilion, 341 Wellesley St, Moose Jaw, SK) on Saturday, August 3, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This will be an informal come and go get together with food, drinks, music, and lots of reminiscing. Bring a lawn chair and wear your Rider gear, Moose Jaw Band Festival t-shirt, or whatever makes you happy. We look forward to seeing you!

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Sharon’s family here.

In living memory of Sharon Penner, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.