In early December, our community lost Mrs. Penelope "Penny" Stamps - A woman who leaves behind an awe-inspiring legacy of grace and dedication to her passion to make a difference.
Words cannot capture how inspirational Penny was. To fully appreciate or even comprehend her zeal for helping animals, students, and her love for the arts you had to watch her in action. She threw herself into whatever she felt passionate about, and she did it with sincere commitment.
"There is no better way to say it, then to say the world lost an angel," says Fayth Ribeiro who worked closely with Penny on the ORCAT/Cat Walk Board. "It was truly motivating and enlightening to watch her give so freely to the things she cared so much about like ORCAT and the Catwalk Fundraiser. I am so very thankful and fortunate the stars aligned and I got to be in her path."
And a determined path it was. Penny made a difference and brought a human touch to all the things she cared about.
At Ocean Reef, she directed her energies to the control and care of feral cats by generously supporting our treasured Grayvik Animal Care Center and ORCAT. As many of you know the center is named after her heroic cat. In 1996, Grayvik alerted Penny and her family while sleeping to smoke from a garage fire at their home in Ocean Reef. Penny loved her cats.
As the Grayvik Center and ORCAT became internationally renowned institutions, Penny continued her commitment to animals working hands-on with her board for the annual Cat Walk fundraiser. True to her character, she stayed involved even in the end as she fought hard against her illness.
Penny didn't limit her philanthropy to Ocean Reef or animals. She also made a lasting impact on the lives of thousands of students through the Stamps Scholars program she founded with husband Roe. Hundreds of students have gone on to college thanks to the Stamps' hard work. In fact, right now thanks to their program more than 900 students are attending colleges across the country, in particular at the University of Miami and the University of Michigan.
Heart, tears, and sweat went into everything she did. And she is described as doing it all with joy and delight.
"To work with her on Cat Walk you would think it was her only focus, but she put tremendous and equal effort into all the things she cared about," said Fayth who also describes Penny as a very pure person, beyond inspiring.
Penny's grace was present in all social settings and interactions. Without her even knowing it, friends say she set a standard you wanted to live up to.
In an email, her husband Roe said, "She became increasingly concerned that her time was short and made sure that friends and family would receive cards and gifts making for a better Christmas. She even texted me from the hospital late one night to ensure that I had given Diego (her favorite cat) his insulin shot. What a special soul."
The Stamps are an incredible family who we are proud to embrace in our Ocean Reef community. Penny's survivors include her mother Carmella Witt, husband Roe, her children Will Stamps and Annie Stamps-Ridgeway, grandchildren Hunter Stamps and Winnie Stamps-Ridgeway.
At her beautiful service held on December 18, Penny's daughter Annie spoke, and even in this time of great loss she embodied the grace and poise of her mother. Penny's family is another testament to the stamp Penny leaves behind.
At Ocean Reef we will not forget the impact, kindness and generosity Penny bestowed on our community. We grieve her loss, celebrate her life and find inspiration in how she lived it. Our thoughts are with her family. And we look forward to honoring Mrs. Stamps at this year's Cat Walk.
