Emlyn Christopher Jeffrey & Penelope Cooper Jeffrey

Emlyn Christopher Jeffrey, 70, and Penelope Cooper Jeffrey, 70, passed away together with their eldest granddaughter in the Guadalupe River floods July 4, 2025. They will be forever remembered for their kindness, generous spirits, and leaving everything better than how they found it.

Emlyn Christopher was born March 1, 1955, in Neptune, NJ. A world traveler from an early age, he and his parents moved back and forth between the U.S., Germany, and Switzerland until he reached high school. As a second-generation Hill School graduate, he was given the freedom to stretch some boundaries, building go-carts from the wheels up, and friendships along the way. A handful from birth, his curiosity was not always appreciated – like the one time he and his buddies froze water in a dorm room to practice their ice skating - but his constant tinkering and pushing the “do not push” buttons, led him to engineering at Vanderbilt. He graduated in 1978 with degrees in biomedical and electrical engineering, a job with Schlumberger, and his sharp and beautiful wife, Penny.

Penny Cooper was born May 9, 1955, in Winter Park, FL. As the only child, she inherited her father’s quick wit, growth mindset, love of games, and always staying one step ahead. Her mother shared her poise, sophistication, and cunning. At Winter Park High School, a recruiter from Vanderbilt came and suggested they only take the top students and was particularly selective accepting women after becoming co-ed in 1972. Being underestimated was when Penny thrived. She graduated from Vanderbilt in 1977 with degrees in Mathematics and French. She also met who she described as her favorite project – Emlyn - and were married May 6, 1978, in Nashville, TN.

Eventually landing in San Antonio, the two became members at San Pedro Presbyterian Church in 1989 after having their third and final daughter. For many years, their worlds revolved around their three girls and their many activities, never wanting them to miss out on an opportunity. The philosophy of ‘experiences over stuff’ runs deep in the Jeffrey family, and that led them to Camp Arrowhead and later Camp Honey Creek in Hunt, TX. All three girls spent their formidable summers at Camp. In 2008, Penny bought the river-side cabin at Casa Bonita in Hunt, giving the family a new home away from home nestled within the idyllic Texas Hill Country.

The thread of service was woven into Penny and Emlyn’s lives. Penny was a founding board member of Summer Dreams, former president of Panhellenic Association of San Antonio, served on the Casa Bonita HOA, and volunteered countless hours to numerous causes supporting children and education. Emlyn began serving as a Child Advocate of San Antonio (CASA) in the early 2000s and Penny joined him several years later, taking on dozens of cases to advocate for abused and neglected children in the foster care system.

Outside of family and service, the couple maintained their own friendships, hobbies, and goals, always growing, always looking toward the future. Penny earned her RYT-500 yoga certification and taught several classes of Penny Yoga a week. She finished at least 10 half-marathons, including her most recent half-marathon in January 2025. And she had plans to run the inaugural San Antonio half-marathon this coming December.

Emlyn could be found hitting golf balls and walking the courses at TPC San Antonio 8 days a week. They both stayed active at Orangetheory Fitness. In retirement, they traveled the globe together and with friends, enjoying local cuisine, historic golf courses, and soaking in everything this world had to offer.

Emlyn and Penny are preceded in death by Emlyn’s father, Jeffrey Eugene Jeffrey, and by Penny’s parents, Edythe LaVerne Cooper and Andrew James Cooper. Their beloved granddaughter, Madelyn Elizabeth Jeffrey, passed away with them.

They are survived by Emlyn’s mother, Roswitha Dey; his brothers, Chris Jeffrey and Hendrik Dey; their three daughters and sons-in-law: Alicia and Harry Baker, Christin and Blake Jones, and Rebecca and Tyler Thomason; and their cherished grandchildren: Annie Baker, Lincoln Jones, and Briar and Poppy Thomason.

Their vibrance, wisdom, and unconditional love will be deeply missed. The family finds peace in Penny and Emlyn’s salvation and knowing those who knew them have been changed for good.

Funeral services will be held at San Pedro Presbyterian Church Saturday, August 9 at 10 a.m. CT. A private livestream link may be requested. A family-friendly reception will follow to celebrate the life of their granddaughter, Madelyn, at the church. A private celebration of life for Penny and Emlyn will follow that evening. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made to the Jeffrey Family Memorial Foundation Fund through the San Antonio Area Foundation, in support of Penny and Emlyn’s philanthropic contributions.