Penny Kakolias was born in Greenville, South Carolina on June 29, 1936, the oldest of twin girls. Some say she was first because she was bold and fearless, even from the start. She called herself a moonchild, not only because she was born under the sign of Cancer, but also because she was sensitive and intuitive. She said she had eyes in the back of her head, and you believed her. She knew things!

She and her sisters worked at their family restaurant when they were young girls. Penny went to study interior design at Miami University. Both experiences began her lifelong passions for food and furniture and home. After college, she married and settled in Dallas, Texas where she raised her family.

She was one of those people who knew how to make a house a home and share it with everyone. Each of her houses was elegant and eclectic, she loved Asian touches and glamor. You could always be assured you'd be surrounded by comfort. She valued feeling good in her space and wanted that for everyone. When you were at Penny's, you felt you belonged. And LORDY, she could cook!

There was always something good in her kitchen, whether it was a special Greek dinner, a fried seafood extravaganza, homemade pastry or coffee cakes from the best bakery in town. There was always food. She was an avid collector of cookbooks. She had open books stacked one on top of the another as she compared recipes.

Conversations lit her up and made her sparkle. If you just made her acquaintance, she had a smile that instantly made you feel like she was your friend and with the melody of her southern drawl, you never forgot her. She loved entertaining and would have friends over late into the night talking, kids asleep on her lap. She always had an opinion and listened to others, even if she didn't agree. She laughed easily and with her whole body and her joy was contagious.

Ever curious – which was part of her oodles of charm, she wanted to know everything about everything and everyone, including you! – she thrived on discovery. The internet provided so much opportunity for her in her older years to learn about things she'd never considered. "Did you know you can feed chickens meal worms?" She was a pro FaceTimer, giving real-time cooking advice – "that's not enough dill," she would say after you showed her your mixture – and staying close to those she loved who were far away.

She raised three daughters known as "Hol-Chri-Su-SAN," the collective call for one or more of them when she couldn't find the right name. She loved them more than anything and she always made sure they knew it. She gave them the gift of knowing that love is essential.

All her daughters' friends loved the time they'd spend with "Miss Penny," who would tell them the rules of etiquette, make them laugh and make sure they had snacks. She always had the favorite flavor for the girl whose mom didn't believe in serving ice cream.

She was equally loving with her grandchildren, always having each of their favorite treats when they came to visit YiaYia (pronounced YAH-yee.) Her grandchildren received a legacy of love and laughter and kindness. And cooking! Always cooking.

She was spirited! She was quotable. She was delightful. She was a true southern belle.

She will be forever missed, loved and cherished by her daughters and their families: Christina, Chris, Cameron, Charlie and Coco Morris; Holly, Bert, Grace, Ellie and Luke Godwin; Susan, Valerie, Frederick and Harper Casey-Housand. She also leaves behind her beautiful twin sister and her family: Georgiana and Ernie Kanes; Thomas, Susan, Glory and Alaire Kanes. She was preceded in death by her parents Helen and Louis Kakolias, and her sister, Bess "Kiki" Isham.

She departed at the peak of the eclipse of the full blood moon, March 3, 2026. A true child of the moon, she's flying with newborn stars.