Obituary of Esther Penrice

PENRICE, Esther Antonia Manthei Russell, 85, passed away February 24, 2012 at Cumberland Medical Center with her family at her side. She was born March 5, 1926 to Otto and Florence Manthei in Jersey City, NJ. Upon graduating from Dickinson High School in 1944, she worked "censoring" telegraphs during WWII in Jersey City. She moved to Linesville, PA in 1951 where she worked as a waitress as well as working on their family farm while raising her children. Later, she went to work at the Treadway/David Mead Inn in Meadville, PA as the dining room manager and assistant to the innkeeper before retiring to Mt. Juliet, TN with her husband, Thomas Penrice. She not only enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but also travelling around the US as well as England, Greece, Africa, Switzerland, Holland, Germany and many more places with her best friend and love of her life, Thomas. She also enjoyed Bingo, reading and crafts. Esther was preceded in death by parents, Otto and Florence Manthei; sister, Florence Bartholomew; husbands, Francis Russell and Thomas Penrice; and son, William Russell. She is survived by daughters, Karen (Michael) Horan of Buffalo, NY, Wendy (James) Brecht of Crossville, TN, and Peggy (Robert) Noel of Meadville, PA; son, Francis Scott (Cindy) Russell of Newfane, NY; daughter-in-law, Sandy Russell of SC; 9 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Esther was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt and friend to many. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 28th at 11am at Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet. Interment will follow the service at the Mt. Juliet Memorial Gardens. Visitation with the family will be Monday, February 27th from 12-8 pm and one hour prior to the service on Tuesday. Arrangements by SELLARS FUNERAL HOME AT MT JULIET, 2250 N. Mt. Juliet Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122, 615-758-5459, obituary line 615-758-8818, www.sellarsfuneralservices.com