Elroy A. “Rocky” Penning, 78
Elroy Arlie “Rocky” Penning, 78, of Austin, died on May 5, 2009 at St. Marys Hospital. 
He was born Sept. 23, 1930, on a farm in London Township, Freeborn County, Minn., the son of Erhart and Hazel (Hansen) Penning. As a child, Elroy lived on farms near Northwood, Iowa, London, Minn. and Otranto, Iowa, before moving to a farm near Lyle, Minn. On May 8, 1954, he was united in marriage to Lois Jean Gieser in Austin. The couple made their home in Austin, where Rocky worked for the City of Austin and later at the Austin Medical Center. He was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church; where he sang in the Senior Choir. He was also a lifetime member of the American Legion Post #91, the Eagles, an area woodworkers club and a former member of the Northwestern Singers.
Survivors include his wife, Lois Jean Penning, Austin; three sons, Rick (Sandy) Penning, St. Paul, Mark (Cathy) Penning, Northfield and Matthew (Tamera) Penning, Iowa City, Iowa; six grandchildren, Andrew, Maren, James, Christopher, Margaret and Helen; two brothers, Maynard “Barney” (Lorraine) Penning, Grand Rapids and David (Lois) Penning, Groveland, Calif.; several nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. 
He was preceded in death by his parents, Erhart and Hazel Penning.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 9, 2009, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church with the Reverend Dan Kahl officiating. Interment with military honors by American Legion Post 91 and VFW Post 1216 will follow the service at Grandview Cemetery. A memorial gathering for relatives and friends will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, May 8, at the Community Room of the Village Cooperative at 2301 10th Street NW, Austin. Memorials are preferred to the Building Fund of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. The Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is handling arrangements for the family.