Mary Gail Penry's Obituary
Mary Gail Penry, widely known for decades in Dallas, Plano and Garland for her marketing and communications savvy and her vibrant personality, died March 24, 2025, at Medical City Dallas Hospital after a brief illness. She was 72.
She lived in Presbyterian Village North in Dallas for the past two years and previously resided on Clemson Drive for more than 23 years. She courageously fought lupus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease, for many years. She candidly told friends, “These are the cards I’ve been dealt.”
“Everyone here loved Gail,” said chaplain Denise Odom at Presbyterian Village North. “She was a warm-hearted, caring individual … always contributed smart ideas and ways to improve services for residents … wrote for the in-house newsletter and served on a number of committees.” One of those was a floral group that made artificial arrangements to welcome newcomers and cheer other residents.
The native Texan, a fun-loving, self-designated “Cat Lady,” also had a long-running love affair with horses. Her favorite feline friends included the late Goldie and a new adoptee, Eclipse, but she also liked dogs and exotic birds. She also cared for many feral cats, feeding them, getting them vaccinated and neutered, and finding homes for many of them. She dabbled in piano, loved a great cheeseburger and her favorite summer drink was a cherry limeade.
She began her professional career as a bank teller, turning her innate talents to public relations, marketing and communications. Employers and clients included First Bank & Trust of Richardson, RepublicBank Garland, City National Bank of Plano, Telesis Technologies and Presbyterian Villages. Her firm, Renegade Public Relations, had a playful motto, “When good karma goes bad.”
“She was very active in the Garland Chamber of Commerce where she moderated political debates,” said author Dan Behringer, former editor of the Garland Daily News. “Gail also was very proud of her work with the RTC.” The Resolution Trust Corp. (RTC), where she worked in 2008 and 2009, sought to maximize value from the sale of assets from failed savings and loans and banks while minimizing the impact on real estate and financial markets.
Gail, who was married three times, is predeceased by two of her husbands, her parents, Thomas John and Mary Helen (Carrigan) Penry, and her sister Kay. She is survived by her daughter Charity Horne of Denison, a nephew, his wife and their two children in Plano.
Restland Funeral Home in Dallas is handling arrangements. Ms. Penry chose cremation with no funeral, but a memorial service will be held for family and friends May 12, 2025. Donations in her memory are requested for an animal rescue organization of your choice or The Senior Source, (https://theseniorsource.org), 3910 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75219, 469-557-5914. Comments and condolences are welcomed at the funeral home website: https://www.restlandfuneralhome.com/
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