Ann (Wikowsky) Wilks-Penrod

Ann Wikowsky Wilks-Penrod, 83, of Maumelle, Arkansas, died at home of natural causes on November 26, 2024.

She was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1941 to Theodore and Irene (Bevelhymer) Wikowsky. In her youth, she lived in Artesia, New Mexico, before spending the remainder of her school years in Austin, Texas. Ann initially attended Abilene Christian College and then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English. At Abilene, she met Charles Wilks, whom she married in 1963. Ann earned a Master’s degree in Reading from Pepperdine University in the early 1970s. After Charles’s death in 1975, Ann went on to earn a Master’s in Business Administration and then a Doctorate in Education, both from Pepperdine University. She married James Penrod in 1979.

During married life, Ann lived in many places across the country: Texas (where she loved the Hill Country and Tex-Mex food), Pennsylvania (where the leaf colors in the autumn were a special treat), Southern California (where she enjoyed good weather, Sonoran Mexican food, and even the earthquakes), Maryland (where crab cakes became a favorite), back to Southern California, Tennessee (where she delighted in good barbecue), Arkansas (where many family members lived), Massachusetts (where more family lived), and back to Arkansas.

Ann was an exceptional university administrator, working at Pepperdine, UCLA, the University of Maryland at Baltimore, the University of Memphis, and Vanderbilt University over the course of her career. In her free time, she greatly appreciated the arts, especially paintings, sculptures, and glasswork, and in later years traveled to Europe and the United Kingdom several times. She also developed friendships that lasted for decades.

Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Ted and Irene Wikowsky; her first husband, Charles Wilks, and her step-grandchild Mari Hall. Ann is survived by her second husband, James Penrod. She is also survived by her daughter Elizabeth (Jim) Bales; grandchildren Hana (Zachary) Hanley, Charles Bales, and Seraph Bales; and great-grandchildren Valerie, Edward, and Zoey Hanley. Ann is also survived by her stepchildren Michael (Jan) Penrod and Rita Hall; step-grandchildren Jimmy (Taylor) Penrod, Jonathan (Allyson) Penrod, Brittany Penrod, Brandy Andis, and Lucy (Lynn) Gaddy; step-great-grandchildren Asa and Flora Penrod, Lucas, Maddox, Owen, and Henry Penrod, Lexi, Spencer, and Aiden Andis, and Alex Gaddy; and step-great-great-grandchild Grayson Dicus.

Donations in the memory of Ann Wikowsky Wilks-Penrod can be made to the AAMDS International Foundation (https://www.aamds.org/donate). Ann received a diagnosis of MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome) in 2023, which was being well managed with the drug luspatercept, which was very good news given that she was not a transplantation candidate because of her age. The family would like to support further research into treatments for this nearly incurable disease.

Arrangements by Arkansas Cremation, 10515 W Markham St, Suite B1, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205. If you would like to leave a message of condolence to the family, you may do so using the Guestbook section.

www.arkansascremation.com