Lysbeth Ann (Penny) Dickelmann Lewis Strong

Lysbeth Ann (Penny) Dickelmann Lewis Strong passed away peacefully in Mesa, Arizona, November 13, 2020. Penny was born December 7, 1930 to Dr. Lorin and Eve Philip Dickelmann in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. At age 2 she moved with her family to Durand, Wisconsin where she grew up, the youngest of the 4 children in the family. She attended Durand elementary School and graduated in 1957 from Durand High School. She married J. Dohn Lewis in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 19, 1961. She and Dohn moved to Palmer Lake, Colorado where Dohn became editor of the Freedom School News and Penny was the office manager. Their son, Kevin Dohn Lewis was born in Colorado Springs September1, 1962. They later moved to Colorado Springs where they lived for many years. They so loved the beauty of the Colorado mountains. They enjoyed the outdoors and Penny became involved in climbing the many peaks of Colorado while Dohn took up karate along with their son Kevin. Dohn passed away in 1987.
Penny married I.W. (Woody) Strong and he instilled in her his great passion for Nepal and the people of Nepal. He too her to Nepal and Penny was introduced to beautiful Mount Everest and her greatest climbing experience of all. They established The Penwood Charitable Foundation and over the years they were able to provide funding to build schools, hospitals and health outposts as well as school supplies, medical supplies and services and warm clothing for the needy of Nepal. Their kindness and caring impacted countless people and causes. Their reward was the love and friendship returned to them by their Nepali friends. Woody passed away in 2000. Penny remained in their log home outside Lake George, Colorado until she decided to winter in Mesa, Arizona to be near family members there. She bought a home in a gated community in Mesa and enjoyed the lifestyle and activity there so sold her Colorado property. She continued her annual trips to Nepal and maintained the Penwood Foundation until her health no longer permitted. Her son Kevin continues the Foundation as Vice President of Generosity For Penwood.
Penny is pre-deceased by husband J. Dohn Lewis, husband Woody Strong, her parents, brother and sister-in-law Robert L. and Dorothy (Hubbard) Dickelmann and brother John Michael Dickelmann. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Kevin and Christina (Conton) Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colorado, sister Mary Mitchell, Salt Lake City, Utah and many loving nieces and nephews. Special thanks to her niece Linda Glonek for lovingly caring for Penny and bringing fun and memories into her life. Especially for loading Penny’s favorite song onto her phone and playing it for Penny on her next-to-last day. “Pennies From Heaven.” Penny smiled as she remembered.