Penelope Kerber

Penelope “Penny” Kerber of Springfield passed from this life on April 10th at St. John’s Hospital. Her husband Donny was at her side as she passed. She was born March 5, 1968 in Bemidji, MN to Richard and Colleen Crawford Grams. She married Donny Kerber on May 20, 2000.

The disease which took her body never infected her soul. Even in the midst of a painful disease she continued to be sensitive and comforting to her caretakers. Her ability to empathize with everyone she met created a magnificent circle of friends who held a “Party with the Pope” for her in July of 2012. The “Party with the Pope” was a living testimonial from the people who had felt the warmth and authenticity of her personality. Her nick name was “Pope” which resulted from her name being misspelled and then mispronounced resulting in her being called Pope! Her nom de plume became a term of endearment used by all her friends reminding everyone that she was a special person whose personality had touched them all very deeply.

Penelope received an Associate’s Degree in automotive technology from the St. Cloud, MN Area Technical College and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Illinois in Springfield. The combination of her educational background and her interest in everyone’s personal stories helped make her Salesperson of the Year for many years at Saturn of Springfield.

She was a member of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

She had a lifelong love of animals, the outdoors and had many gardens. She could fillet a walleye or skin a squirrel but her charm of creatures was epitomized by her years of riding in the Kahoka Missouri mule show. Her favorite mule was named April. Penny and April were an affectionate pair and wonderful entertainment for April’s adoring public.

Penny became an avid and accomplished pool player. She played in various tournaments and leagues in Springfield and across the state. Her best shot was when she met her future husband Donny at a pool league.

Penny is survived by her husband Donny Kerber; her mother Colleen Grams of St. Louis, MO; her father Richard Grams of La Crosse, WI; her sister Rhonda Conover of Springfield; maternal grandpa, Leo (Shirley) Crawford of Rochester; paternal grandma, Louise Grams of Little Falls, MN; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins; her dog Bernie and her cats “Miss Kittie” and “Tipsy” who guard Penelope and Donny’s house against vagrant mice.
Her maternal grandma, Rose Crawford and paternal grandpa, Melvin Grams, preceded her in death.

Memorial Mass: 10 am, Thursday, April 18, 2013 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with Reverend Peter Harman officiating.

Celebration of Life: 3 pm, Saturday, April 20, 2013 at KC Hall, Devereux Heights.

Celebration of Life: 3 pm, Saturday, September 14, 2013 at Linden Park Resort on East Battle Lake, Henning, MN. (319)322-8853

Memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Protective League.