Elwood "Woody" Penor

Elwood Roy Penor, age 81 of McIntosh, peacefully passed away on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at Copper Sky Assisted Living in Casa Grande, AZ.

   A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh on Friday, November 4, at 11:00am MT with Pastor James Schmeling, officiating.  A time of fellowship and luncheon will follow at the McIntosh City Hall.

Burial will take place, weather permitting on November 5, at 11:00am MT at the Rabbit Butte Cemetery.  Woody’s wagon and team of horses, “Annie” and “Fannie”, given to his cousin Brad Besler, will transport him to his final resting place in the Rabbit Butte Cemetery, south of Bison on the Bixby Road.  It was Woody’s desire to be buried in the Besler Family plot where he spent numerous days during his childhood as a young adult helping out at Uncle Wayne Besler’s ranch, which was the homestead of his grandparents Christ and Julia Besler, and where his mother Elsie (Besler) Penor was born and raised.  Follow the graveside service a time of fellowship and luncheon will be held at the Besler Ranch.

Serving as Active Pallbearers are Tom Mines, Loren Woodbury, Harley Hanson, and Justin Campbell.

ER/ “Woody” Penor was born in Bison, SD at the home of his parents Roy and Elsie (Besler) Penor on August 18, 1941.  He was baptized on September 9, at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church where he was also confirmed in 1947.  E.R. grew up in Bison graduating from Bison High School in 1960.  During his high school years he set school records for Track and Field.

Following high school, E.R. enrolled in college at Black Hills State College in Spearfish, SD graduating with a BA in Mechanical and Industrial Arts.  He accepted Industrial Arts teaching positions in McIntosh High School and Mobridge High School.  While he was in Mobridge, he and son Rick Penor painted barns and he started a trucking company, Penor and Son.

Following a move back to McIntosh, Woody purchased a ranch and an Allis Chalmers Farm Dealership – McIntosh Implement.  His grandson, Erick Penor recalled that “with few exceptions, everything was orange.”  He continued trucking – he and Shirley ran double hauling cattle with their semis, farming and ranching, and engaged in custom harvesting during the summer months.  He loved to fly his 172 Cessna around the country for work and pleasure.  His wife Shirley, grandsons Erick and Jason, son David and his uncle Ray Penor were part of the work crew.

ER married Carol Van Cleave on May 30, 1958.  They had three children, Richard “Rick”, Cathy and Lori.  He married Shirley Heinzman Dreiske on February 16, 1978 and became a father to her son David Dreiske.

Woody and Shirley enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Alaska, Mexico City and Italy – where he saw the Pope.  His hobbies included collecting Marilyn Monroe and Casey Tibbs memorabilia along with Allis Chalmers toys.  He was a passionate Ultra Harley Davidson motorcyclist and was a proud Harley Hog Member, regularly attending the Sturgis Rally to get his annual pin.  Cycling took he and Shirley from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic and from Canada to Mexico.  He loved Arabian/Morgan horses, hitching them to his great grandparents, Collis and Minnie Penor’s buggy and giving rides at family reunions.  He was instrumental in organizing several wagon train trips following original Deadwood Trail markers.   A photo of him and his team on the Eagle Butte to Isabel wagon train appeared on the cover of SDPB Magazine and in the PBS video “Dakota Life”.  A rodeo fan, he and Shirley regularly attended the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.  Woody enjoyed doing yard work in their Casa Grande, AZ home when he was not seeking out garage sales.  They also hosted winter snowbirds needing a reprieve.

At the time of his death, Woody was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh and Grace Lutheran in Casa Grande, AZ.

ER was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Elsie, his grandson Harley David Zahn, sister Diana Palmer, brothers-in-law Gail Palmer and Jim Ceglian, his parents-in-law Mike and Ida Heinzman and sister-in-law Donna Heinzman Derschan.

He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Shirley Penor, McIntosh and Casa Grande.  His children: Rick (Paula) Penor, Menoken, ND; Cathy (Troy) Zahn, McKenzie ND; and Lori (Brian) Penor, Seattle, WA; David (Linda) Dreiske, Belle Fourche, SD; eight Grandchildren: Jolene Zander, Carolee Nagel, Rhiannon, Jason and Erick Penor, Jennifer Green, Bradly and Lauralee Dreiske; and Olivia Rebhun, and 20 Great Grandchildren, sister Cindi Penor Ceglian, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Cards can be mailed to Shirley Penor, PO Box 199, McIntosh, SD  57641.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com.