Henrietta Lillian Varney

HENRIETTA (PENNIE) LILLIAN VARNEY August 22, 1923 ~ March 17, 2014 Pennie Varney, loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend was born on August 22, 1923 to Louis and Lillian (Tesmer) Behlow in Eagle River, Wisconsin. She passed away on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2014 in Battle Ground, WA at 90 years of age. Her husband, Ed Varney, preceded her in death on December 5, 2013 as well as her three brothers, Louis Jr., Richard, and Kenneth. Mrs. Varney graduated from North Hollywood High School and met the love of her life, Edmund Varney at a beach party one summer evening. They were married at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in North Hollywood on December 18, 1942 and enjoyed nearly 71 years of married life together. She was active in the Lutheran Church, PTA, enjoyed swimming, boating, fishing and hunting, snow and water skiing, knitting, gardening, reading and playing the piano, organ, and clarinet. Pennie cherished the Pacific Northwest with her love for the Oregon Coast evident with yearly summer trips to Manzanita. She taught the grandkids the finer points of crabbing, how to clean them and was the expert in that department! Throughout the Varney's married life, they owned bee businesses in Wyoming, Wisconsin, and South Dakota with Pennie serving as the "official" bookkeeper and financial officer managing the operations with her finesse and minute attention to detail. She loved keeping the books down to the penny! The Varney's "retired" from the bee business in 1982 and found their perfect retirement location in Vancouver, WA where they began building their last home in 1986. Pennie is survived by her three daughters, Cher DeCant, Debra Palmer, Leeanne Goetz; son-in-law John Goetz; her seven grandchildren: Scott Varney, Sarah Henrie, Scott Palmer, Justin Palmer, Jessica Lieuallen, Ryan Lieuallen, Austin Goetz; and great granddaughter, Lauren Varney. Services will be held at 12:30 PM Saturday, March 29, 2014 at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Vancouver, WA. Donations in Pennie Varney's name may be made to the Ray Hickey Hospice House or to PeaceHealth Hospice Southwest. Her family will dearly miss her but rejoice, knowing she is now with Ed helping the bees make honey in heaven! -

Henrietta Lillian Varney

August 22, 1923 - March 17, 2014