Celebrating the life of Penny Shubnell

By Rhea-Frances Tetley

Staff Writer

How does a community say goodbye and thank a person who has devoted a couple dozen years to making the community better, in numerous ways?

If you were Penny Shubnell, who absolutely changed everything she touched for the better, it is difficult; but her celebration of life, held at the jam-packed San Moritz Lodge, with many standing, on Friday, Nov. 8, it was also filled with much joy as it was a celebration for those things she did do, by those who she has left behind, better off than when they met her. The community had been shocked by her sudden death and all were sending condolences as they honored her significant memory of accomplishments.

Attending the afternoon to evening event were over 250 residents and community leaders, politicians, her seniors and many others who knew and appreciated her for her personality, determination, generosity of her time and knowledge and those thankful for the positive impact she had on the community. The words from friends, family and colleagues all expressed admiration of her accomplishments, her humor and the significant differences her will, intelligence and hard work made in the mountain area. Speaker after speaker shared their personal experiences with Penny, in numerous nonprofits, clubs and semi-governmental situations.

After her two daughters spoke of Penny being a fabulous mother and the many family interactions and travels together, Penny’s many positive attributes, and their shock at the overflowing crowds, they said they realized even more what an impact she must have had on Crestline and its residents. They knew all along she had been busy and doing and organizing things but were just now realizing how impactful she had been.

One of the first speakers was County Supervisor Dawn Rowe, who said one of the best pieces of advice she was given by the outgoing Supervisor Janice Rutherford was “Do whatever Penny wants.” Rutherford herself posted, “Penny, I absolutely adored her and love how she challenged and uplifted me. My condolences to her family and close friends.” Scott Vanhorne added, “Penny was such a great lady. This is such a huge loss for the Crestline community.”

The event received comments from over 20 other speakers that evening, all extolling their gratitude for the many ways Penny impacted their personal and community lives. On Facebook, hundreds of offers of sympathy to her family were posted, many with comments on Penny’s importance in their lives.

One of the significant accomplishments that changed Crestline for the better was the creation of the Crestline Sanitation District, when it separated from the county. Penny, at first, didn’t know anything about sanitation, but in 2008 she saw an injustice was being done to the town, so she studied, became an expert and recommended a community study, saying, “We can do this better.” She helped separate it from the county and was elected to the Sanitation board of directors when it was formed in 2010 and helped it become a streamlined, functional agency with a master plan for the district. Ken Nelson presented the family with the plaque they were about to present to Penny this month, as her term was expiring this year. “We have so much gratitude for her knowledge and her leadership over the years,” he added.

Penny was also an active supporter of the Lake Gregory Yacht Club, so Rick Dinon, the Southern California Yachting Association’s past commadore, called Penny a “Force of Nature,” who, by connecting the businesses in town with the people and organizations when she helped form the weekly Crestline Connect networking group, made a vehicle for making many things occur. “Connect” allowed many connections to form, that ended up advancing the economic outlook for the community and got organizations working together for the betterment of all.

“She was a tireless advocate for all and with every project she was involved in, as she had a unique grasp of useful ways to use each organization for everyone’s benefit,” added Dinon. They were Crest Forest Municipal Advisory Council members together, as well.

Penny was on the Senior Affairs Council, said Craig Swanson, and worked with the Healthy Aging Committee. She was forthright and dedicated to the health and welfare of “her seniors” and the programs and projects they deserved. She worked for their benefit.

“Miss Penny,” as many called her, was always on a mission for others. The senior lunch nutritional program is all from her work, and many senior programs were all from her dedication to getting county programs brought up the mountain. She bought up the Covid shots for those seniors who were unable to get down the mountain to receive them at the time. One of her most recent behind the scenes successes was getting the reroofing of Leisure Shores, and the heat repaired and air installed into the building through the county. She had courage, caring and commitment for others.

Crestline has the best senior center on the mountain, because of the focus Penny gave to it. She was president off and on for over a decade. More programs, wider variety of activities, more days a week, although she was also sorry the other towns were not able to get their centers up to the same level, yet. She thought all seniors should be able to receive senior designed services and supported Lake Arrowhead’s current drive at getting a senior center. Those organizers now promise to work for one even more because of the direction and support Penny had offered them. “Her legacy will move forward as we are able to provide services to them.”

Penny excelled in creating structure and writing rules and showing people how to follow them to help others as well. She was proud when others succeeded. She didn’t like the spotlight on her and, when presented the many awards and accolades, she smiled as she received them, but the many plaques and framed awards were found by her family not adorning her home walls but instead nicely placed in a closet. Her daughters knew Penny was appreciated but were shocked at the many dozens of official recognitions she had received from the various county agencies, the board of supervisors, numerous clubs and organizations. Since her death both the County Board of Supervisors and the State Senate have been adjourned in her honor and her name put into the official record for her many accomplishments for others. Congressman Jay Obernolte read a statement of her many achievements into the Congressional Record in her honor. She is the only Crestline resident to be honored as “Lake Arrowhead Citizen of the Year.” She was the Grand Marshal for the 2019 Jamboree Days parade.

Penny had been on the board of the Friends of the Library for many years and was behind it when they sponsored the successful “Taste for Literacy” fundraisers. “She was also a great neighbor,” added Sher Fairbanks. She had also been secretary for the Mountain Arts Network and was involved in the early 2010s with the repurposing of Mary Tone School when she was on the Rim School District Advisory Council as a community center after it had been decommissioned as a school and before it was sold.

When Penny moved to the Crestline area in 1996, upon her retirement from Kaiser where she had worked in the data processing department as a manager, she worked as a grant writer for various organizations, which is one way she learned so much about the community and its needs. She worked with the chamber of commerce as its vice president, which is when she secured the building the chamber now uses as its office building, located on the north shore of Lake Gregory.

With the Crest Forest Seniors Citizen Center at Leisure Shores, where Penny served as president for many years with a smile, she gave it structure, activities and a feeling of family for those who were involved. She set a standard by example and the members will miss her greatly as she was very hands-on, up ‘til the end, happily working at “Stuff Your Spud,” one of her favorite fundraisers, the night before her death. She had a great time talking with friends as she sold the dessert tickets. “We will miss her,” said CFSCC Treasurer Betty Kolbe, “but we have her rules and direction to continue operating for the senior community, successfully.”

Rudy Westervelt of the Rim Ready.org, which Penny also was involved with, ended the evening gathering by saying, “Let’s continue to do her work with the seniors, the county and the community and make her proud of us by succeeding in making the community, a better place to live.”

There were ample refreshments for all, as it was a potluck of appetizers and desserts brought by those who came and they were generous in honor of Penny’s legacy. People hung around afterwards and helped clean up the San Moritz Lodge, putting away tables and chairs and throwing away trash, as Penny would expect.

Kalyn Shubnell, Penny’s younger daughter, said, “What a beautiful night. Thank you to all who helped, who shared and who loved Mom. She loved all of you, too.”

Wendy Signorio added, “What an amazing celebration of life! Our hearts are so full with all the stories of the lives Mom touched. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We have big shoes to fill!!”

The Lake Gregory Company provided the San Moritz Lodge for this event since Penny did so much for others, many of those events such as the senior luncheons at the San Moritz Lodge.  You can view the entire video recording of this celebration of life on the Lake Gregory Company’s website.