51黑料

ST. LOUIS 鈥� To many residents of 51黑料鈥� Fountain Park neighborhood, she was just known as 鈥淢s. Pat.鈥�

She seemed to always be there, at Centennial Christian Church, with her husband, cooking or packing lunches or giving out groceries to feed to anyone in need. She was tall, had a big smile and a booming laugh. And she was always inviting people in, or asking if they needed any help.

鈥淪he died in her beloved church, doing what she loved,鈥� her daughter, Alexis Dennard said in an interview Saturday.

Patricia Penelton was killed Friday afternoon in Centennial church, at Fountain Avenue and Kingshighway, when a sudden storm brought the church bell tower and much of the church roof crashing down, trapping her and two other people.

She is one of five who died in Friday鈥檚 tornado. Friends and family have also identified Juan Baltazar, who ran a Mexican street corn food truck, killed by a tree that fell in Carondelet Park. Authorities had not identified any of the dead as of Saturday evening.

Penelton, 74, of Ballwin was leading a group of volunteers preparing bagged lunches to hand out to those in need when the storm hit, her family said. The church had been her second home, and the outreach ministry she ran there, her 鈥渓abor of love,鈥� they said.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what gives us comfort in the midst of our unspeakable heartbreak,鈥� said Dennard, her daughter. 鈥淪he left this Earth in service to others. What better testament to God and her discipleship is there?鈥�

Penelton鈥檚 family, friends and neighbors of Centennial church described her as a driving force behind the congregation, itself a community lynchpin for Fountain Park, a historic neighborhood centered around a park next to the 121-year-old church.

Friday鈥檚 sudden storm caved the church in on itself, ripped apart the park and toppled a longstanding statue of Martin Luther King Jr., the city鈥檚 only statue of the Civil Rights leader. Nearly every home surrounding the area was damaged.

Trees and power lines were downed. Roofs and walls were torn out of buildings. Winds kicked up clouds of dust and debris.

Lisa Simmons, who lives just across the street from Centennial church, was away when the storm hit Friday afternoon. She arrived to find her home, the second floor of a duplex, had disappeared.

鈥淓verything is gone,鈥� said Simmons, 63. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what I鈥檓 going to do.鈥�

Still, residents said they were just as concerned about the loss to Centennial, even if they weren鈥檛 congregants there. The church had served as a gathering place for holidays, cookouts, donation drives and health and vaccination clinics.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very important part of our neighborhood,鈥� said Carmelle Hall, 81, and a resident of 50 years. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all proud of it.鈥�

And Penelton had helped organized much of the church鈥檚 outreach, many said.

鈥淪he was selfless,鈥� Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard said.

Penelton鈥檚 husband, Harry, had been away at a store on Friday buying groceries to bring back to Centennial to make sandwiches to hand out the next day. When he got the call, he rushed back.

The couple were close to celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary, after meeting in college at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

鈥淪he loved church. She loved the people. She loved her family and I loved her and she loved me,鈥� he said.

They moved to the 51黑料 area in 1986 and settled in west 51黑料 County, but attended Centennial because it was the same denomination as their former church in Kansas City. Patricia Penelton retired from a career as a project manager for AT&T and Charter.

She sang in Centennial鈥檚 church choir, volunteered at the church鈥檚 food pantry and taught Sunday school. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, she and her husband started making packaged lunches to give out to kids in the neighborhood.

鈥淲e saw a need, and we wanted to help,鈥� Harry Penelton said. 鈥淭hat was just my wife. If it had a positive impact, we roll up our sleeves and do it.鈥�

They soon started cooking hot meals for the homeless, too, every Wednesday and Friday. And the service project kept growing from there.

Soon, other churches were pitching in and helping delivering food and clothing, and also helping people with other needs, like housing and healthcare. They helped file paperwork for benefits and work applications, and hosted classes teaching cooking or other life skills.

His wife鈥檚 friendliness invited people in, said Harry Penelton. People she helped feed later became volunteers helping her feed others.

鈥淪he did not know a stranger,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou would love her if you met her today not knowing her. You would have felt like you had known her for months.鈥�

Dennard, their daughter, said she and her siblings would know to call the church whenever they couldn鈥檛 reach their parents at their home, she said.

She spent any time she had trying to be of service to others, she said.

Outside of church, Patricia Penelton loved to dance, play bridge and play board games. She worked hard, but loved to be silly and make jokes.

鈥淪he just loved life,鈥� Dennard said.

Patricia Penelton is survived by her husband, three daughters, son, and three grandchildren.