Penny Jean German, 60, of Ogden, KS passed away on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan, KS. She will be inurned at Crescent Hill Cemetery in Adrian, MO, next to her parents and Brandon. A small memorial service will be held for her at a later date.
Penny Jean (Phillips) German was born in Kansas City, MO, on November 2, 1962 to Gareld Lee Phillips and Barbara Jean (Cantrell) Phillips. Penny was the much-awaited first-born grandchild of W. R. and Edna Cantrell and the first-born granddaughter of Burt and Gladys Phillips. She was older sister to Joe and Paul Phillips.
Penny spent her entire childhood and much of her adult life as a resident of Archie, MO, where she attended school from kindergarten through her senior graduation. She was often seen pedaling through town on her bicycle, swimming in the family pool, loving on her little dog, Tiny, or engaging her vivid imagination to create a good time for herself and her friends.
Penny loved the colors baby blue and lavender, candles and cooking. She had a profound love of music, especially: The Carpenters, The Beatles, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, and Keith Urban. As a young child in the 70's, she had an extensive 45 record collection. In high school, Penny was a well-rounded athlete and participated in basketball, volleyball and track and field. She would often bring home medals for her performance in sprinting events at district and state track meets. Penny's awards did not stop there as she was a talented singer, where she would also be recognized at regional and state singing competitions.
After high school, Penny pursued training as a dental hygienist. She also worked many years for Pizza Hut and finally opened her own house cleaning business. Penny married Warren German in 1996. Penny had a deep Christian faith and had few conversations as an adult that did not include her love of Jesus Christ. This love was instilled in her at a young age, as she very often joined her Grandma Edna at the Pentecostal Church in Adrian, MO. Her faith was a constant source of joy and comfort in her life. She also found great joy in her many pets, but her favorite was her cat, Silver Bell.
Penny's greatest love and loss was that of her beloved nephew, Brandon Phillips, for whom she assumed a surrogate mother role before his untimely death in June of 2010. Her life was never the same after losing Brandon. Anyone who spent time with Penny, at any point in her life, will tell you that she had a unique perspective of the world and an entertaining way of describing it, her experiences, and the people in it. Her stories were filled with detail, her ideas were crazy, and her laugh was contagious. She left us with many colorful memories and for that we are grateful.
Penny was preceded in death by her parents, Jean and Gareld Lee Phillips; her nephew, Brandon Phillips; maternal and paternal grandparents aforementioned; her aunts: Roberta Phillips Ford and Nicki Jo Cantrell; her uncle, Russell Cantrell; and cousin, Kelly Phillips. She is survived by her brothers: Joe Phillips, Mound City, KS; and Paul Phillips, Kansas City, MO; aunts and uncles: Larry and Donene Cantrell, Archie, MO; and Bob and Karen Phillips, Maryland; as well as, three nieces: Samantha (Chase), Nichole (Hassan) and Katlin (Matt); three great-nephews: Mason, Aiden and Luke; two great-nieces: Lyra and Riley; and many, many Phillips and Cantrell cousins.
