Mrs. Eunice Dover Penland 93, of Ellijay, passed away Saturday, February 18, 2023. She was born September 12, 1929, in Gilmer County in the Cashes Valley Community to the late Harvey and Edna Johnson Dover.

She was a 1947 graduate of Gilmer High School. After graduation, she started her first job at Georgia Power as an office manager. In 1950 Eunice met Thomas Lewis Penland and in 1951 began their life together on Spring Street in Ellijay. In 1960 they returned to the Penland family farm in the Tails Creek Community where they would spend the rest of their lives.

She fulfilled her calling in life to be a farmer's wife, raising a large family, and enjoyed being Granny to 15 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Her happiest place was in the kitchen cooking for the whole crowd.   She enjoyed being a member of the church senior adult choir, hosting card games and bridge club, and fishing.

She is preceded in death by her parents Harvey and Edna Johnson Dover; husband Thomas Lewis Penland; daughter Chris Penland Mahoney; siblings Marvin Dover, Paul Dover, and Eugene Dover.

She is survived by her four children and in-laws. Daughter Mary (Joseph) Hensley, of Ellijay; three sons, Thomas L (Joy) Penland Jr., of John's Creek; John (Trina) Penland, of Ellijay; Lee (Michele) Penland, of Ellijay and son-in-law Timothy Mahoney, of Detroit, Michigan; grandchildren Cate Mahoney, Sam Mahoney, Craig (Hannah) Hensley, Joshua (Ainsley) Hensley, Lewis Hensley, Anna Hensley, Grace Hensley, Elizabeth (Drew) Waldbeser, Thomas L. Penland III, Catherine Penland, William Penland, Bryan (Laura Leigh) Penland, Claudia Penland, Morgan (Trey) Reece, Rachel (Jake) Walters; great-grandchildren, Emma Hensley, Olivia Hensley, Barrett Hensley, Kensie Henley, Rowan Hensley; brother Randall (Jerri) Dover of Ellijay; sister in law Martha Dover of South Carolina, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Craig Hensley, Joshua Hensley, Lewis Hensley, Bryan Penland, Sam Mahoney, Thomas L. Penland III, and William Penland.

Special thanks to Michele McCann and Amanda Long for their love and support.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 21 ^st, 2023, from 12:00 pm until 3:00 pm at the East Ellijay Baptist Church with a Private Family Service to follow with Rev. Mark Kelly to be officiating. Interment will follow in the Ellijay City Cemetery.

Bernhardt Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.