I remember Mr Penner from elementary school, Chief Maquinna. Felt like Mr Penner was a celebrity as my family knew him from Herbert Sask. Even though I was young, I knew the tone he set as our principal by the way my teachers would react when he came into the classroom. He was loved and respected. 

Dearest Jacob,
 Your loving presence is still so real on this third anniversary of your passing.
Every day
I know your love, your encouragement, your generous heart and unwavering faith in the God who loves us all.
 Thank you for the life you lived and the steady example you give us through these uncertain times. Your memory lives on.

Your loving wife,  Anne

I miss you Jacob. Though you have made us all bigger and better, the world is less without you.

Wow - 2 years you've been gone but you still feel so much right here for me. I am using so many of the tools you left me, sometimes blowing off the sawdust that was still there since you last used them. I feel your hands on them, you choosing them to do your projects - you always taught me that you buy a good pair of pliers or you will be buying many - you bought the good ones. How much you taught me about building things, fixing things, just to look at a project and figure out how to do it. You taught me and when you could no longer teach me, you stood out of my way and offered support and cheer leading. As I am writing this, your picture is smiling down on me and I feel the love you gave me and surrounded our family with. Hope you are enjoying this next round!

What can be added to the wonderful tributes to Jake, of his life so well lived and completed two years ago today? Perhaps one of his favourite quotes from the book of Proverbs in the Bible.
" Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths". 
 Surely that was how Jake lived and how he would encourage us today
  Your loving wife,  Annie

Remembering dear Jacob with much love and respect on this special day; a loving husband and Father, so proud of everyone of his children. I am so thankful for the very happy years we shared together and many wonderful memories.
 Jacob's loving wife, Annie

I was too young to know the politics of Chief Maquinna elementary as a student but was keen enough to notice the atmosphere that Mr Penner created and how he was admired and respected by the teachers who taught me. He also had a special connection to my family through his Saskatchewan roots.

Happy Birthday Grampy. I miss you.

Mr Penner was the Principal of my Elementary School and I sensed his wise and thoughtful leadership that permeated everything we experienced. He created a positive environment for learning and he was respected by all. When I graduated from high school and ended up in hospital I was very moved that he took the time to visit me. A very good man who has affected the lives of so many young people...

Jacob was my spiritual mentor and "adopted father." He worked to keep me out of trouble when I was a pastor at CapChurch. And we prayed together, as well as drank too much coffee and ate too little chocolate, talked about women, wondered what life or church could be like if... whatever. I will miss him. I have no one to curmudgeon with. And who will watch over the comings and goings of the Horseshoe Bay ferry now?

For the past 21+ years since meeting Jake through Cap Church, and seeing him weekly at the Cap Church Men's Group every Tues. morning until the end of 2017, when he was no longer well enough to attend, spending time with this fine gentleman has been a great source of joy and inspiration - as an example of how a Christian man carries himself with compassion, dignity, and grace. Moreover, my wife Louise & I are reminded daily of this thoughtful man's desire to 'lift up' others through his gift of a beautifully hand-crafted foot-stool he made for Louise when she commented that she often experiences discomfort when sitting, due to having shorter legs than most. This treasured 'surprise blessing' occupies a place of prominence in our kitchen, where it's practical use reminds us daily of the unbridled generosity of a godly man focused on serving others! We know God is blessing Jake in Heaven, as Jake has blessed so many of us on earth!

Mr. Penner lead with compassion and kindness. He provided new beginnings for children who were in crisis and to have a place of belonging and a feeling of caring at school as we had nothing but turmoil in the place we were supposed to call home. On behalf of my brothers and myself, Thank-you. As adults, we now know what he did for us. Our lives may have had a very different outcome without his empowerment to the teachers and down to the children. We were taught to be kind and to always stand up for others that cannot stand up for themselves. We will miss him.  (This was sent to me by Lila Craig(Louie)   She and her brothers were in my class and they came to us after seeing their mother and 3 sisters killed in a hit and run.

I worked at Brock Elementary, when Jake was in his last Principalship. We had a lot of fun with him over the years. One thing I really remember was the ping-pong. We had a table on the stage in the gym, behind the curtain. A group of the staff sometimes played the game to relax during the noon hour. Jake was fiercely competitive, and would always go for the ball. One day, as he did so, he couldn’t stop - and he flew through the curtain and off the stage, to the gym floor below. He wanted to get up, and move again. We insisted on a safety trip by ambulance to be checked out at the hospital. He was fine, somewhat sore, but, trooper that he was, he was back at school the next day. Nothing kept him down.

Three years as a beginning teacher at Chief Maquinna was defining for me as to how a school Principal , Jake, could make in allowing a wonderful, student-centered, school culture to develop. Hands off/hands on when needed. He had trust in his teachers to help students grow in all aspects of their lives. Thoughtful, considerate, caring.
Always to be remembered.

I always looked forward to the visits to Uncle Jake and Aunt Justina....back in the 50s to mid 60s. Uncle Jake always had time to talk and listen, and he had many interesting stories. My connection to the kids was Ray, who I always admired and looked up to....(he made a ring for my wife in the early 80s) and had many fun “cousin” times together. Karyn and I are traveling and won’t be back in time for the memorial, so we wish God’s presence on the family as you all celebrate a great man.

JACOB
Your quiet strength
And steadfast love of God
Gave me the joyful gift to be
Your wife.
Your hands
So strong and skilled
Yet knarled with age and work
Form gifts to God's glory full of
Kindness.
Hands open
With gifts of joy
Hands lifted in praise to God
Hands at peace in the presence
Of Jesus.

I taught for Jake (Mr. Penner) twice. Once at Chief Maquinna and once at Norquay. He always made sure I could take my teams and gymnastics clubs to play and perform even in school time. Jake had a way of making it happen. Several of my Maquinna kids have expressed their condolences and recalled what he had done to make school a special place.