Penelope Prichard Mahon

May 30, 1942 - December 29, 2016

Penny Mahon passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 29th at age 74 from complications of Leukemia (AML). Penny was born in Los Angeles on May 30, 1942 to Lynn Prichard and Helen Henderson. After WWII, her father established an insurance brokerage in San Francisco. There Penny attended Madison Grammar School, Roosevelt Junior High School and then spent her 8th grade at the American School in Rome, Italy where her uncle was Consul General of Naples. Returning to San Francisco she attended high school at Katherine Delmar Burke School and then continued studies at San Francisco State University and Portland State University.

Following college Penny started her working career at SPWM Insurance Brokers in San Francisco. It was there she met her future husband, Douglas Robert Mahon, and they were married in 1968. Looking to raise a family, they moved to Sleepy Hollow (in San Anselmo, CA) and had a daughter, Elizabeth (Beth) Anne, in 1969 and a son, Lynn Prichard, in 1973. As the children grew, the family developed an active interest in horses and dogs. Thus, more space was needed so in 1975 they moved first to Glen Ellen and later to Sonoma.

Penny and Doug also brought their passion for work with them and they established a North Bay Branch of SPWM Insurance Brokers. They worked together to make SPWM one of the largest insurance brokerages in the North Bay. In 2001 they opened a new brokerage called SST Insurance Brokerage. In 2015 they retired and sold the firm.

One of the highlights of Penny’s life was breeding and raising Saint Bernard dogs at their Glen Ellen kennels, Belyn Saint Bernards. There were often up to 8 dogs in the kennel runs and some lounging in their family room. Penny bred the Saints and Doug showed them at dog shows across the country. They raised many Saint Bernard champions. Penny served on the Board of the SBCA (Saint Bernard Club of America) and SBCPC (Saint Bernard Club of the Pacific Coast). She was very active in the breed and had many Saint Friends worldwide.

Penny is survived by her husband Douglas Mahon; an accomplished equestrian, daughter Elizabeth (Beth) Anne, her fiancé Brian Brown and her children, Madison and Parker, of Sebastopol; an acclaimed potter, son Lynn Prichard and his wife Nikki and sons Mikko and Niilo of Napa; Penny’s brother John Roger Prichard and wife Pamela of San Francisco plus nieces and nephews: Kimberly Boman, John Jr and James; plus many cousins located worldwide.

Memorial contributions may be made in Penny’s name to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, PO Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202 or through https://donate.lls.org/lls/donate

A celebration of Penny’s life will be held at a date and time yet to be determined.