Cheryl Gist Penn

Cheryl Gist Penn passed away in her home in Austin, Texas on the morning of Saturday, January 18th, at the young age of 65. Although she left us far too soon, she made the most of every single day as a movie producer, an event coordinator, wedding planner, one-woman catering team, district attorney, vintage curator, interior decorator, wife, mother, and friend to all.

Cheryl was born to Anne and George Gist on May 30th, 1959, in Bronxville, NY. Her family quickly moved back to Houston, though not quick enough, with her husband forever teasing her for not being a native Texan. The oldest of four, she grew up with plenty of siblings to boss around - Tracey, Alicia, and Chip. She attended Walnut Bend Elementary, Rogers Junior High and Lee High School, where she made lifelong friends.

Cheryl landed in Baton Rouge at LSU, where she joined the sisterhood of Delta Delta Delta. She paved the way for her two sisters, Tracey and Alicia, to follow. After graduation, she moved back to Houston to continue her education at South Texas Law School. These were formative years where she made forever friends… sometimes at 2AM. Upon receiving her law degree, Cheryl moved to Texarkana to clerk for a judge.

In October of 1984, Cheryl was attending a friend’s wedding in Houston when she sparked the eye of a young man, a Frank Walt Penn, who immediately invited her to visit him in Dallas. Two short weeks later, at a wedding in New Orleans, they found themselves at the Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel, where Walt suggested that they should probably just get married. (He still doesn’t know why she said yes.)

Two months later, at the Confederate House on December 23rd, they announced the engagement to her family, and in a whirlwind, were married on April 20th, 1985, at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Houston TX.

Their first two married years were spent in Dallas, with Cheryl serving as Assistant District Attorney to the famous Henry Wade. Though fulfilled, Cheryl knew she wasn’t a Dallas girl, and they moved to Austin, where she lived the rest of her days. From 1987 to 1993, Cheryl gave birth to her four favorite people in the world, her children Hudson, Clayton, Read and Holden.

Walt and Cheryl raised their kids in Westlake Hills, where Cheryl loved to be involved in all their kids' passions and pastimes. She made iconic costumes for various school performances - from Clay’s Liberace, Read’s Potato Queen, Holden’s Madonna, and Hudson’s football pep rally outfits. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention Medieval Day at Hill Country Middle School, where she put her hilarious “Cheryl spin” on Clay and Read’s ensembles, as a princess and donkey, respectively. She encouraged her kids to follow any opportunity that came their way (perhaps to add another travel destination to her summer plans…) and never missed a parent’s weekend. She turned the house into a pirate’s ship for birthdays, transformed their family ranch into a Winter Wonderland for Christmases, with a specially-designed styrofoam cup for every occasion. Never a dull moment in their house, the door was always open to the hundreds of family members and friends that would stop by.

Cheryl always looked for any reason to celebrate - not that she needed one. One of her favorite times was helping Read to plan her truly spectacular wedding in October of 2022 - even looking into getting an exotic animal license in downtown Chicago because of Read’s love for snakes (they settled on cheeky napkin rings instead). She made every birthday feel like it was going to be your absolute best year yet. And of course, these celebrations were accompanied by a custom cheeseball for every season.

She lived for traveling, always planning the next trip, reminding her family to keep their passports up-to-date, and emailing articles from travel publications of future dream destinations. She continued to plan throughout her treatments, with her optimism and hope driving her strength. From their family house in Rockport when the kids were young, to her sailing trips around the world (BVIs, Turks and Caicos, the Great Barrier Reef), to Thanksgivings spent at Cinnamon Shores in Port Aransas, and several dozen beaches in between, Cheryl loved the water. Her happy place consisted of the wind in her hair, her toes in the sand, and a styrofoam of Sauvy B on ice in her hand.

As the kids grew, Cheryl started to put some of her endless energy into helping others. She began with the St. Vincent DePaul Society, at her church, and she eventually headed up the Christmas program supplying food & thoughtful presents to over 200 families. She joined the board of The Settlement Home for Children, where she worked on special events and fundraisers all year, raising money and getting people involved to better the lives of young girls.

Cheryl Penn was truly one-of-a-kind. With a seemingly limitless zeal for life, without a judgmental bone in her body, she simply radiated. The life of every party, even in a room of strangers. Lover of all animals (including the dozens her kids brought home - a ferret, a couple rats, gerbil, guinea pigs, several mice, a rabbit, turtle, hamsters…), their many beloved family dogs, as well as the deer, longhorns and lizards at the family ranch. She was always up for a challenge, always ready for her next big adventure.

There was never a mountain too tall for her to hike, or a hoop earring too big to dance in. A beautiful and wild horse of a woman, her husband and companion of 39 years simply held on for the ride. Walt will forever say that his girl made him a better man, husband, father and friend.

Beyond her hundreds of best friends (and thousands of fans) all over the world, Cheryl is survived by her husband, Walt, and her kids Hudson (partner Cat), Clay (wife Kelly), Read (wife Jess) and Holden (partner Courtney). She will be forever missed by her siblings Alicia Jung (husband Eric), Tracey Macicek (husband Steve) & Chip Gist (wife Kelli). And she will be always remembered by her nieces Sarah Penn James, Julia Penn and Caroline Carter; Sophie, Grace, Cammie, and Molly Macicek; Annemarie Gist; Alexandra Kittle and Olivia Walkowski; and nephews John David Penn & Jack Gist. She was also blessed to have a few precious months as “Cherbear” with her first grandchild, Augie (son of Clay and Kelly).

A devout Catholic who accepted Christ into her life, services will be held at St. John Neumann Catholic Church on Bee Caves Road in Austin, Texas on Friday, January 24th at 1pm. Her children request that everyone please come wearing lots of color, to celebrate their forever colorful mother. Those who can’t make it are encouraged to “fluff” their drinks, throw on their brightest outfit, top it off with their biggest earrings, and toast to the most fabulous woman. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to Breakthrough Central Texas or The Trail Conservancy.