Penelope Matter Obituary
Penelope ("Penny") Matter passed away peacefully with family at her side on October 18th after battling cancer for the past two years. Penny was born April 11th, 1942, in Evanston, Illinois to Carroll ("Buzz") and Katharine ("Kay") Wendel, joining as the younger sibling to older sister Diane. The family later relocated to Southern California and settled in La Canada Flintridge. Penny attended high school at Anoakia in Arcadia, graduating in 1960. Initially attending Mills College, she transferred to Occidental College where she was a member of the Delta Sorority and graduated in 1964. It was at Occidental College that she met her future husband Charles ("Charlie") Matter. They were married in 1964 in Pasadena and a few years later settled in San Marino. Penny was initially a social worker after school, then becoming a full-time homemaker when David arrived in 1969; followed by Katharine in 1971, Gregory in 1976 and Michael in 1978. Over the following years Penny helped her family grow and thrive and developed a wide group of friends. After seeing their four children off, Charlie and Penny moved in 1998 to Monarch Bay in Dana Point where they could be closer to the ocean that she had loved since childhood when her parents owned a vacation home in the same locale. While still maintaining her lifelong friendships from college and San Marino, Penny's outgoing and friendly personality led her to develop many new friends in Orange County. She also decided to return to work; earning her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy (MA/MFT) and ultimately worked with at-risk youth at the Laguna Beach Youth Shelter. In her free time, she enjoyed walking and exercising, playing card games, book club and planning trips all over the world. It's fair to say travel and seeing new places was her passion. Visiting her children and grandchildren was also incredibly important and even better was having them visit the beach whenever possible. Recently the family gathered to celebrate Penny and Charlie's 60th wedding anniversary in Laguna Beach and 4th of July gatherings at Monarch Bay were always a special time. Penny is survived by her husband Charles; four children, their spouses and ten grandchildren. Penny will be missed for her amazing smile, grace and the love which she poured into her family.
A Celebration of Life lived will be held on November 30th in Dana Point.
