John C Penson

John C. Penson, 73, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away on March 8, 2026, at Arrowhead Abrazo Hospital in Glendale, Arizona. Born on October 25, 1952, in Kansas City, Missouri, he was the eldest son of Gerald and Mertyee Lou Penson. His brother, Craig, was born in 1956. John graduated from Raytown South High School in 1971.

Throughout his life, John held a variety of jobs, including making steel beams in a steel plant, delivering magazines for Kansas City Periodicals, working as a machinist, and later earning his CDL license. For the final 20 years of his career, he delivered rock and gravel to residential and commercial construction sites across the greater Phoenix area and other parts of Arizona. In 1977, he married Loretta Cooney, and together they had three children: Leanne (John) Stafford in 1980, Rebecca Penson in 1981, and Ryan Penson in 1983. While living in Kansas City, John was deeply involved in the sports community, coaching youth football in the Johnson County Football League, where he also served as sportsmanship director, as well as coaching youth wrestling and girls softball. He was also a roadie and sound man for the local band Redwood, maintaining lifelong friendships with its members and fondly recalling their shared adventures.

John and Loretta divorced in 1994, and he relocated to Phoenix in 1996, where he lived with his parents until he met and married Sheri Benson in 2000. They made their home in the Phoenix area for the rest of his life. John was an avid fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Missouri Tigers football teams. He enjoyed country and rock music and playing Texas Hold’em poker. He had been a member of the Moose Lodge since 2018.

He is survived by his wife, Sheri Benson; his children, Leanne Stafford, Rebecca Penson, and Ryan Penson; his brother, Craig Penson; and his extended family.