Penny Mccollough

Funeral services for Penny McCollough will be held 10:30 am Tuesday, August 4, 2015, at the Westport Baptist Church with Rev. Ray Earley officiating.   Burial will follow in the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Cancer Division in memory of Penny.  Friends may share a memory with the family online at www.chapman-black.com.

Penelope Irene McCollough was born on January 18, 1963 in Gary, Indiana.  She was the daughter of Harold L. and Virginia Alice (Thatcher) Vanhorn.  As a young girl Penny grew up in Decatur, Indiana.  She started kindergarten and later graduated high school with the Class of 1981 from Adams Central High School.  During her time growing up Penny was active in many things including ballet, track, band and 4 H.  Penny showed dairy cattle, entered baked goods, crafts as well as needle pointing items.  She was also a member of National Honors Society.  Following high school Penny began attending Ball State.  She later graduated with a Bachelors degree in Health Education. 

After graduation Penny began working a summer job at Estes Park, Colorado at the YMCA of the Rockies.  During this time she met Bennie who also worked at the same facility.  The two were later united in marriage in Decatur, Indiana on September 8, 1990.  The two established their initial home in Naples, Florida.  They later moved to Lewisville, Texas before moving to Cleveland, Oklahoma in 1997 where she has continued to reside. 

During her time in Cleveland Penny enjoyed to volunteer.  She was a volunteer at the Tulsa Zoo for many years which she talked about often.  She also worked at Kiddle Sticks Toy Store in Tulsa for many years as well.  Her last job was a bus driver for the Cleveland Public School.  Her route was the Hill n Dale, Westport and Keystone Lake area.  

Penny enjoyed life to the fullest.  Reading books by Dick Frances which were typically about crime in the horse-racing world.  She also enjoyed collecting bears, knitting and doing needle point.  Penny also enjoyed photography.  She also had a knack for making scarfs and made many for the ladies at church.  She always enjoyed going for a drive and especially for a drive to get ice cream.  Penny loved going back home to Indiana and would always attend the yearly Adams County Fair.  She loved going back home to visit her friends and seeing family.  Season passes to Silver Dollar City was always a yearly ritual when her kids were growing up.  Sometimes they would make it a day trip and sometimes a weekend trip.  As a young girl Penny was a member of the 1st United Methodist Church being baptized at a young age in Cromwell, Indiana.  Penny and Bennie were currently faithful members of the Westport Baptist Church. 

Penny went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, July 31, 2015, in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 52 years. She worked at School Bus Driver route 31 Westport and Hill n Dale for years.  

Survivors are her husband Bennie of the home, two children Kristen Foote and her husband Nate of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Adam Scott McCollough of Cleveland, Oklahoma, parents Harold and Ginny Vanhorn of Decatur, Indiana; three brothers Greg Vanhorn of Decatur, Indiana, Mike Vanhorn and his wife Stacy of Greenville, Ohio, Brian Vanhorn and his wife Tammy of Decatur, Indiana and numerous other relatives and friends that will mourn her passing.  Penny was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Delbert and Catherine Thatcher and paternal grandparents Delmer and Lovina Vanhorn. Pallbearers will be Bennie McCollough, Adam McCollough, Nate Foote, Greg Vanhorn, Mike Vanhorn as well as Brian Vanhorn.