Obituary of Michelle Penta
<h1>Michelle Penta</h1>
1966 2009
Born May 11, 1966, Michelle passed away on December 11, 2009.
Survived at home by loving husband and best friend, John; loves of her life, Stephanie and John-Paul (J.P.); caring mother-in-law and sister-in-law Ileana Penta and Ruja Penta. Further survived by brothers, Farrell (Linda) of Nanaimo, David (Carla) of Edmonton, Edward (Karen) of Kelowna; six nieces and nephews; and father-in-law Iosif Penta of Romania. Remembered also by Aelix Jantzen of Montreal, who made it all possible. Predeceased by parents, Alfred and Jeannine Janzen and a brother, Robert.
Michelle was born in the Okanagan in British Columbia and remained connected to the landscape and the people from her life there. She loved the country life in B.C. and has many stories about good times she had there with her brothers and friends. She loved her home in Kitchener too, and the beach, lake and sunsets at Point Clark where the family built a cottage.
Michelle moved to Waterloo where she received her Master of Arts degree at University of Waterloo. After she and John married, they spent 6 years in Romania where they established and operated an English school and had their two children. When they returned to Canada, Michelle went to University of Western Ontario where she earned a Master of Library and Information Science degree. She found her place in libraries, especially Hamilton Public Library, which was a marvelous place to work and full of fabulous people.
She felt blessed to live in an extended family where Ileana and Ruja make such a positive difference in all of their lives. She also felt blessed to have an amazing circle of friends.
Michelle would like to be remembered as a person of action whose motto was Just do it, who wasnt afraid to take the unpopular view, who loved Canada, loved kids and believed in everyones potential. A lover of nature and the outdoors, and of spiders and pigs (and writers).
The following passage was inspired by one of Michelles favourite books, Charlottes Web by E.B. White:
Wilbur: Are you writers?
Charlotte's daughters: No, but we will be when we grow up.
Wilbur: Then write this in your webs, when you learn: This hallowed doorway was once the home of Charlotte. She was brilliant, beautiful, and loyal to the end. Her memory will be treasured forever.
Charlotte's daughters: Ooh, that would take us a lifetime.
Wilbur: A lifetime. That's what we have.
Friends and relatives are invited to share their memories of Michelle during visitation on Thursday, December 17, from 7-9 p.m. at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home 171 King St. S., Waterloo. A Memorial Service to celebrate her life will take place on Saturday, December 19th at 11 a.m. at Calvary Memorial United Church, 91 Gruhn St., Kitchener. Memorial donations to Calvary Memorial United Church Community Ministry fund, earmarked for KCI Student Breakfast Program, would be very much appreciated and may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.
