Penny's obituary
Joanne “Penny” Lapiers Henderson, 69, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born on June 30th, 1956 to Wanda Lee Gaylor and Walter Thomas Lapiers, the second of seven children: Walt ‘Jr.’ (Cyndie), Andy (Kathy), Robert, Sandy (Mike), Mikey, and Polly, all of whom survive her.
Penny is also survived by her three daughters, Angela (Jason), Tara, and Melinda, and her seven grandchildren: Majesta (Tony), Rainey (Jackie), Madilyn (Marcus), Noah, Adam, Talon (Aylen), and Silas.
Penny lived a life defined by generosity, resilience, and deep devotion to those she loved. She was known for her warm spirit, her sense of humor, and her unwavering willingness to help others. Penny had a remarkable ability to make anyone feel seen, heard, and valued. This gift shone especially bright during her more than thirty years working at the Village Tavern, where her kindness touched friends, family, coworkers, and countless guests throughout the years. Penny had nothing but love for the Hollenback family, her career was her second home.
She cherished time spent with her loved ones. Whether sharing stories, playing games like cribbage, Ship Captain and Crew, Yahtzee, or Sequence, shopping together, or simply enjoying quiet moments with her beloved dog, Frankie, Penny treasured life’s simple pleasures. She could often be found watching her favorite shows, including Wheel of Fortune, The Price Is Right, Jeopardy!, or anything on the HGTV channel, happily sharing those moments with anyone who wanted to join her.
In the final year of Penny’s life, she was lovingly surrounded by her siblings, her niece Kaitlyn, and her grandnephews, Enakai and Lyirik. Their presence brought her comfort, warmth, and constant love.
Penny will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her. May her memory continue to be a blessing, and may her soul find peace.
Celebration of Life memorial information will be announced at a later date.
Join her family and friends and send Penny your biggest and loudest “Hell Yeah!”