Penelope Niven To Be Honored at Memorial Tonight

(Penelope Niven speaks in April at the Sandburg Days Festival.  Courtesy Sandburg Days Festival Facebook page.)
(Penelope Niven speaks in April at the Sandburg Days Festival. Courtesy Sandburg Days Festival Facebook page.)

Events will take place this evening to honor an individual who worked closely with the Galesburg community.

Penelope Niven, the biographer of Carl Sandburg, and literary author of various other publications, passed away at the age of 74 in the summer of 2014.

The North Carolina native had close ties to Galesburg. Tonight she will be honored in a memorial as a part of the Carl Sandburg Festival taking place this week.

Sandburg Days Coordinator Robin Demott says she knew “Penny” closely, and that she often spoke of her daughter Jennifer–who will also be in attendance at Sandburg Days this week.

Demott tells the WGIL Evening News, that Jennifer greatly resembles the character of her mother.

“I had to opportunity to go to Penelope’s services last September–so unfortunate we lost her, but to meet (Jennifer) in person was just like meeting a young Penny,” says Demott. “I’m so excited for everyone in Galebsurg to get to meet her, because she has that same loveliness about her that we so loved about Penelope.”

Tonight’s ceremonies will include a bust presentation of Sandburg to Sandburg College. The dedication will be made in Penny’s honor, by Painter and Sculptor Lonnie Eugene Stewart.

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