Penelope "Penny" Kyllo

Penelope "Penny" Kyllo, of Mesa, AZ, Warroad, MN and formerly of McCanna, ND, passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 in Mesa, AZ.

Penny was born Oct, 1940 in Berkley CA to Russell and Marion (Phillips) Pray. She graduated from Berkley High School and attended Berkley College.

During her summer family visit in Larimore, she met Dennis Kyllo at a Bachelors Grove dance. They married March 24, 1959 and lived on the family farm in McCanna where they welcomed a son, Kevin and daughter, Karen.

It was a big change for this California girl, but she quickly learned about farming and ranch life and became a fantastic cook, gardener and homemaker. She was a Girl Scout leader, member of Elk Grove Saddle Club, member of Elk Valley Lutheran Church and worked at the McCanna Greenhouse and floral shop for a time. She and Denny loved to travel and spent much time traveling with flying farmers and the Cessna 180-185 club.

When they retired from farming, they split their time between their cabin at Springsteel on Lake of the Woods MN and Mesa AZ. They also spent 3 summers working with Sourdough Outfitters in Bettles Alaska. This was an outdoor wilderness adventure company that Penny would arrange and outfit people from around the world who wanted a lifetime adventure and Denny would fly them to remote places north of the Arctic Circle, throughout the Brooks Range. Penny was able to enjoy one of the excursions of camping with caribou.

She and Denny enjoyed singing in the Our Saviors Lutheran church choir in Mesa AZ and socializing, playing cards with their many friends at both locations. She loved following her grandson’s music and sports activities and was often spotted at many football and lacrosse games on their many visits to the Denver area. She also loved her friends’ dogs and getting to dog sit, or just getting some Bear, Comet or Frankie time.

She is preceded in death by her parents Marion and Russell Pray and sister, Jacqueline Linscott.

She is survived by her loving husband Dennis; her two children Kevin Kyllo of McCanna, Karen Kyllo-Smith (Donald) of Aurora CO: grandchildren Cole (Jenessa) Smith of Parker CO and Cory Smith of Jacksonville FL; nephew Dana Lindscott of River Falls WI.

Celebration of Life will be at 1 p.m. on Wednesday  June 21, 2023 in the Bakke Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Elk Valley Church Cemetery, rural McCanna, ND.