Richard "Rick" Penn's Obituary
Richard “Rick” Penn
Rick Penn, 59, of Oldsmar, Florida, passed away on 07/26/2026 at home with his daughter and wife present. Rick was born on January 24, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from Lane Tech High School, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona to attend university. It was during his 13 years in Arizona that he met and married Patsy Orta in 2000. Rick and Patsy moved to Florida in 2003 to be near the ocean, which they both loved. In 2007, their daughter, Silvia, was born. He was a devoted father to Silvia and eternal soulmate to Patsy. Rick was a middle school science teacher at Palm Harbor Middle School and was very much beloved by his students and his peers. He was a natural teacher and loved his students. He was preceded in death by his father, Albert Penn; his mother, Barbara Penn; and his “other mother” Rosanne Novak. He is survived by his sister, Michelle Penn Moore (Sean Keel). Rick was adventurous and loved to scuba dive, travel, read, camp and loved sci-fi movies/shows. Although Rick grew up on the North side, he was a diehard Chicago White Sox fan, for which he received a lot of derision. In addition to his family, Rick leaves many friends and peers that were touched by his influence and love. His space in this world can never be replaced. The Dude abides.
A celebration of life will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we encourage donations to cancer research or hospice organizations.
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