Eileen Helen Pensky
July 22, 1928-Aug. 31, 2026
San Ramon, California

Remembering Eileen Pensky The Jewel of the Pensky Family Our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother lived a long and wonderful life of 98 years. Eileen was born in Chicago to Sarah and Edward Zain and was the sister of Doris Tomlinson. The Zains came from the old country and settled near family so they could continue the traditions that meant so much to them—family dinners, celebrations, and parties. Those traditions became an important part of Eileen’s life as well, and she carried them forward for generations. At the age of 20, Eileen married Harold. Family legend has it that she saw Harold’s photograph at the home of her lifelong friend Marion, who happened to be Harold’s sister. Eileen looked at the photo and declared, “I’m going to marry him.” And she did. Harold and Eileen were married for 60 years, until his passing in 2008. Together, they raised four children: Norm, Ellen, Wayne, and Rhonda. Those were busy years, with family always coming first. Harold’s career in the aerospace industry also meant several moves—from Chicago, where all the relatives lived, to Denver, then San Bernardino, and eventually Santa Barbara, following career opportunities. After Harold retired, they moved to Crow Canyon Golf Course to be closer to their children whose families were also growing. Today, there are 11 grandchildren and so far 18 great-grandchildren making family reunions a lot of fun. Eileen and Harold’s later years were filled with family, good times, and, of course, Eileen’s famous dinners. Beyond her family, Eileen had two great loves: jewelry and shopping. She happily passed her shopping gene on to her daughters and granddaughters, who continue to love shopping and jewelry to this day. Eileen was every bit as well known for her dry wit and perfectly timed eye rolls as she was for her love of candy—a trait she also passed along to her children and grandchildren. And, we can’t forget the ice cream. Eileen was well known for eating ice cream after every meal—breakfast, lunch or dinner. As the matriarch, she brought everyone together and created traditions that will live on. Her grandchildren especially remember her delicious dinners, with her Passover meals being among the most memorable. After so many years of taking care of her family, we were grateful to have the opportunity to care for her during her final years. We like to imagine that Eileen is now reunited with Harold, her parents, her sister, and the other loved ones who went before her—probably playing a few hands of cards, doing a little shopping, enjoying some candy, and preparing a marvelous Passover dinner. She was, and always will be, the jewel of the Pensky family.