Graveside service for former Lawton resident Mary Pratt Pennell, 93, Austin, Texas, will be at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at Post Cemetery, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, with the Rev. Canon Susan Joplin officiating. Mary Pratt Pennell died on Tuesday, February 14, 2012, in Austin, Texas. Inurnment will be under the direction of the Becker Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Mary was born on May 1, 1918 in Ferris Texas, the second of two daughters born to John Earl Pratt and Mabel Connevey Pratt. She attended Weatherford Junior College and Texas Women's University, graduating in 1939 with a degree in elementary education. Mary taught school in Grand Prairie, Bristol and Hearne, Texas until joining the Red Cross at the onset of World War II. Following the war, while stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, she met the love of her life, the late Colonel Robert Pennell, who was a patient at Brooke General Hospital after surviving the Bataan Death March and being held captive as a Japanese prisoner of war. Following his release from the hospital, they were married on November 15, 1946 at the Little Chapel in the Woods on the Texas Women's University campus. Mary dearly loved the life of a military wife, and enjoyed traveling the world with her beloved Bob. Following the death of her husband on December 19, 1961, Mary together with her two children, Mike and Robin, moved from Ft. Sill to Lawton, Oklahoma, where she lived until relocating to Austin, Texas in the fall of 2007. Mary was a devout parishioner of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Lawton, Oklahoma, where she was a member of the altar guild, twice serving as altar guild directress. She was a member of Chapter I, PEO where she was known for creating many clever themes for the chapter's yearbooks. Mary is survived by her son and daughter, Michael Pennell, Broken Arrow, OK, and Robin Edmonds, Austin, Texas, their spouses Debbie Pennell and Steve Edmonds, and three grandchildren: Sean Pennell, Chad Pennell and Alexandra Edmonds. Mary was a woman of great dignity and grace, a wonderful mother, devoted wife and friend to many. She gave her heart and her soul to her family. We, her family, hope that we can leave behind something both good and lasting. Mary has left us that and so much more. We will carry her in our hearts always. Thank you, Mom, for showing us what grace really means. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Mary's name to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 1313 SW D Avenue, Lawton, OK, 73501.