My sister Penny was my first sibling and the second child my parents had. She was named Lucia Straight Ibbitson. Lucia was pronounced: Lewsha. Straight was my grandmother Edrice’s maiden name. Our dad adored his grandfather and wanted the Straight name in our family. The rest of us kids were really glad we didn’t get it. Our mom came up with the nickname Penny and that’s what stuck, thank goodness.
Off and on throughout her life, Penny had premonitions, some very unsettling. When she was going to have her first daughter, she told me I would raise her, and when she was going to have her second daughter, she told me our mom and dad would raise her. Another time, she was going to enter a prestigious event with her horse and our parents told her to wait. She told them it would be too late if she waited, she’d never have another chance. All of these things came true; my parents and I did take in Pauline and Roberta, her daughters. She got married when she was 19. Her husband eventually walked out on them, and she sold her horse to a woman who took excellent care of her. Penny passed away at age 35 of Juvenile Leukemia. My sister Barb, our brother Dave, his wife, our sister-in-law Laura who Barb and I think of as our sister, all miss her. Her daughters live out of state with their families and they miss her too. This prompts me to share this story about Penny as a tribute to her, someone I admired and am so glad she lived her life determined to make her dreams come true. She truly had a gift with horses, a remarkable horsewoman, a hard worker and a loving sister.
From a very early age, Penny showed a love for horses. Our grandpa Spud, who was our dad’s father, lived next door to us and had a gray horse named Harry. He was a big, tall, solidly built retired work horse who was very gentle. He was still strong and could carry four of us kids on his back at the same time. When Gramp gave rides, whether there were four of us riding at once, or less, he secured a lead rope around Harry’s neck and held it as we rode him slowly around the spacious yard and field. Harry took to Penny right away, was always happy to see her, and the only one of us kids that he let brush him after the rides. He did seem to like the pats and hugs he got from the rest of us kids. I heard gramp tell mom and dad that Penny was a natural and one day would be an excellent horsewoman.
As Penny grew up, everything centered around animals, especially horses. She joined a 4- H Group in Hanson and also started saving money for a horse. One day, a big glass jug appeared in our dining room. Mom announced it was a pony bank; she and dad were helping Penny save for a horse. Whenever any of our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, even friends, came over, the money grew. A few years later, after endless searching for the right horse at an affordable price, mom and dad were contacted by friends of theirs in Hanson who knew of a mare for sale. Mom and dad didn’t tell Penny or any of us. Penny turned 12 that year on her birthday, which was on June 12. Mom planned an outdoor party with family around the big picnic table in our back yard because of the nice weather. After the birthday feast, it was time for gifts. I noticed mom and dad disappeared. I saw a few of my uncles and aunts get out their cameras while Penny opened her gifts. Uncle John walked up behind Penny as she sat on the picnic table bench and I saw him point in the direction of Gramp’s driveway and ask her in a low voice if she saw anything. She seemed puzzled and so did us kids. We all looked towards where he was pointing and saw mom and dad walking a horse into the backyard. All at once, all the adults were singing happy birthday to Penny. She burst into tears and ran towards mom and dad and the horse. She hugged the horse, whose name was Lady and then threw her arms around mom and dad. My brother Dave and I and our little sister Barb were excited and happy for Penny.
Lady was the perfect horse for Penny at that time, and she could still run at a good gallop. Dad fixed up an old shed which was the perfect size for Lady, making it into a small barn with a nice stall. He painted it cottage red with white trim that matched our house. It was big enough to hold all the tack needed for a horse. Penny had Lady for a few years until she became too old to ride. Not wanting to part with her, she didn’t know what to do. Friends of hers that lived in Hanson had a retirement farm for older horses and offered to take Lady free of charge if Penny would work for them at least once a week without wages. Penny happily accepted the offer so she could spend time with Lady.
Penny’s dream was to have an Arabian horse. She started babysitting to earn money and and also took jobs helping with, and taking care of, animals. As her reputation grew, so did her savings. She was well liked and respected, took her jobs seriously, and without meaning to, got the attention of some important people who realized how serious she was about attaining her goal. She won prizes at several horse shows with a pretty little filly named Misty she bought from a friend of our family.
At one of the horse shows, an older couple from Georgetown noticed Penny’s horse, Misty, and approached her. They had a stallion they wanted to breed who was part Arabian. When the experienced breeders got together with Penny, both horses, and our parents, the end result was that the stallion and Misty complimented each other in every way, especially the structural correctness between the two which was physically balanced. The foal would inherit the correct athletic build and be in perfect proportion. Penny was thrilled, but worried about the cost. The couple told her and our parents there would be no charge, she was doing them a favor and would get to keep the foal. Dad asked if there would be a contract regarding future expenses and what would happen if Penny gave the horse away or sold it. The couple smiled at them, asking them to please let them do this, there were no strings attached; they’d been in this business for most of their adult lives and every once in a while a young person came along, like Penny, and they wanted to do everything they could to help and were in a position to do so. It was a miracle to Penny, dad was stunned beyond words and mom cried. Arrangements were made for breeding, which was a success and Misty came home to Hanson and the barn dad had made, where we all waited anxiously for the next eleven months to pass.
Penny was still in high school when Misty was in-foal. On a beautiful spring day, my three-year-old son, Brian and I, went to visit my mom. When I pulled into the driveway, mom was out in front of the little barn and the door was open. She seemed upset and I asked her if everything was okay. She told me Misty was in labor and would I go to the high school and get Penny and she’d keep Brian with her. Penny’s teachers knew about her horse and were very understanding. When I ran into the school that day to get Penny, there was no problem; Leo Lane, the Administrative Assistant, got on the intercom and called her to the front office and wished her good luck as we ran out the door. When we got back to mom’s, she had called a man who was also a friend of hers and Penny’s, who was an experienced equine assistant. Misty did well and delivered a beautiful foal. Penny named her Serendipity and called her Seran for short. It was a wonderful Summer that year watching Misty with her foal as she grew. Seran was stunning. Even though she was only part Arabian, she was dark with a shimmering coat, fine, silky hair, and a tail that was like a banner in the wind; she carried her tail highly arched and elegantly curved.
Penny had graduated from high school and was doing quite well at competitions she entered with Seran. They were making a name for themselves and were also asked to ride in the Memorial Day and Fourth of July Parades. Penny was happy and continued to gain confidence in a quiet, self-assured way, trusting her own abilities while still being respectful of others. She also began thinking about entering the Eastern States Exposition, home of the BIG E Fair in West Springfield Massachusetts. My parents tried to talk her out of it but she stood her ground, telling them this would be her only chance to go and win a Blue Ribbon. She also reminded them she had money saved for it and it wouldn’t cost them anything. Penny went to Eastern States. The competition was fierce but Penny never wavered, she was quiet, calm, focused and had an aura about her. Seran was just as calm. When the riders rode their Half-Arabian horses into the Arena, everyone was applauding. When spectators caught site of Penny riding Seran among them, the applause and cheering were deafening.
Serendipity and Penny were famous that day and won the blue ribbon. We were all thrilled. Her youngest daughter has Penny’s trunk full of horse pictures and memorabilia. The picture of Penny with this story is of her on a horse named Mike that my mom and sister Barb had for a while. Penny was trying to break him, but he had issues, was too high-strung and was given to someone who knew how to handle him. One of the last things Penny said to me was, make your dreams come true. She was an excellent power of example which has stayed with me and helped me make many of mine come true.