Yvonne Johnson Penland

Mrs. Yvonne Johnson Penland, 96, died Monday, April 4, 2022, at Northwest Medical Center.

She was born Dec. 30, 1925, in Pine Log to the late James Littleberry Johnson and Elise Bradford Johnson. They welcomed Yvonne’s younger siblings, Betty Johnson and Jimmy Johnson into the family a few years later.

The family moved from Pine Log to Bradenton, Fla., to Akron, Ohio, to Atlanta, then settling in Ellijay.

She graduated from Ellijay High School in 1943, and attended college at Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville.

In July 1948, she married Samuel Oscar Penland Jr. They had four children, Samuel Oscar Penland III, Susan Penland Myers, Elisa Penland Templeton, and a baby boy, Charles Cooper Penland, who passed away at birth.

She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Ellijay for almost 70 years, where she helped in the nursery, with Georgia’s, WMU and the bereavement committee to name a few. She was hardworking and generous with her time, volunteering and chaperoning on numerous class trips, band trips and in the classroom. She was selfless and generous with her family as well, and her children and grandchildren never had any lack of food, fun or laughter while in her presence.

She is preceded in death by husband, S.O. Penland; son, Charles Cooper Penland; brother, Jimmy Johnson; and great-grandson, Owen Christopher Manley.

She has left behind a beautiful legacy of family who will always remember her as a loving mama, grandmama and great-grandmama.

She is survived by sister, Betty Johnson; children, Sam and Marcie Penland, Susan and G.T. Myers, Elisa and Alan Templeton; grandchildren, Trent and Kate Myers, Nicole and Jeremiah Bond, Elizabeth and Chris Manley, Tiffany and Dre Weaver, Samuel Penland, Sarah Templeton and Mike Schmitt, and Parker and Emily Templeton; great-grandchildren, Elise and Audrey Myers, Cohutta Bond, Hannah, Ruby, Cooper and Elliot Manley, and Presley Boyle.

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 9, 2022, at First Baptist Church with Pastor Josh Moyers and the Rev. James Holt officiating.

Pallbearers were Trent Myers, Jeremiah Bond, Dre Weaver, Chris Manley, Samuel Penland, Parker Templeton and Mike Schmitt.

Donations can be made to the First Baptist Church Weekday Education Center or the Gideon Foundation.