Judge (ret.) Gene B. Penland, 80, Salina, died unexpectedly October 31, 2014.
Gene Penland was born on April 11, 1934 in Springfield, MO, but grew up in Dodge City from the age of three. He was the son of W.R. (Bill) Penland and Agnes (Linnebur) Penland. He and the former Joyce Ann Renner were married in Wichita in 1956.
Gene served as a Trust Administrator for the Denver U.S. National Bank. While in Denver he spoke to several groups about the importance of wills, trusts and estate planning. He also served as an advisor to a high school chapter of Junior Achievers. In late 1963 he moved to Salina with his wife, Joyce, and their two daughters, Shelley and Amy, to practice law. From 1966 to 1969 he served as Vice President and Trust Officer of the First National Bank & Trust Company of Salina (predecessor of Sunflower Bank). He also served as Vice President and Trust Officer of the First National Bank of Independence, MO in 1969. In 1970 he was elected to the office of Judge of the Magistrate Court of Saline County and served in that office as well as the offices of Municipal Judge of Salina, Gypsum and Assaria until 1977 when he became an Associate District Judge. In 1972 Gene was one of two judges selected by Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold R. Fatzer to represent Kansas at the Special Court Judges section during the annual meeting of the American Bar Association in San Francisco. In 1987 he became a District Judge and served in that office until retiring in 1995 after nearly 25 active years on the bench. He was a workshop speaker and a visiting lecturer in Criminal Law at Kansas Wesleyan University and a lecturer in the Great Decisions Program of the Foreign Policy Association. In October 1986 he and his wife, Joyce, were members of the Goodwill People to People Delegation of Lawyers and Judges visiting Finland, the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China. After his retirement he continued to handle judicial assignments as an active retired judge for twelve years in Saline and Ottawa Counties and many other Kansas districts courts. He also served on several panels of the Kansas Court of Appeals. He presided over several mock trials during evening hours for Kansas Highway Patrol training sessions for new recruits. During his judicial career he performed more than 475 civil wedding ceremonies after court hours and on weekends.
Gene graduated from high school in Dodge City in 1952 and Dodge City College in 1954 with an Associate in Arts Degree, where he was named Distinguished Alumnus for Law and gave the commencement address for the graduating class of 1989. He graduated from the University of Wichita in 1958 with a BA Degree and Washburn University School of Law in 1961 with LLB and JD Degrees. While at Washburn, he was a member of the Washburn Law Journal Board of Student Editors and served as a Notes Editor. He was a member of the Benson Chapter of Pi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. During the summers of 1967 and 1968 he attended the National Trust School of the Trust Division of the American Bankers Association and completed the course of study at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Gene was a member of the Kansas Bar Association and was admitted to the bar in Kansas, Colorado and Missouri. He was a member of the University United Methodist Church in Salina, Masonic Lodge No. 60, Isis Shrine and Scottish Rite and a former member of the Salina Noon Optimists and the Salina Rotary. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served on active duty in Germany from 1954 to 1956. After active duty he was in the reserves for six years until honorably discharged in 1962.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce, of the home, two daughters, Shelley Ann Walle of McPherson and Amy Kathryn Jorgensen of Denver, one son-in-law, Stuart S. Jorgensen, and two granddaughters, Lauren Amanda Jorgensen and Brooke Kaeley Jorgensen, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, Janiece K. Coate, one son-in-law, Eugene L. Walle, and his parents, W.R. and Agnes Penland.
The funeral will be at University United Methodist Church November 5, at 10 a.m. in Salina. Cremation will follow. Interment will be in Dodge City.
Memorials may be made to the University United Methodist Church, charities of choice, the Salina Animal Shelter, animal or other wildlife preservation organizations. Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401, is handling arrangements.