Penny Lu Preston

Penny Lu Preston, 78, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2026, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, surrounded by her loving family. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will take place from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service. Burial will follow at Fairfax Cemetery in Fairfax, Iowa. Following the funeral service and prior to the burial, family and friends are invited to a luncheon at First Lutheran Church. Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids is assisting the family.

Penny was born July 18, 1947, to Pearl Cooling in Cedar Rapids. She graduated from Cedar Rapids Washington High School in 1965 and from Ellsworth Community College in 1967. She married Gary Lee Preston on June 1, 1968. He preceded her in death in 1994. During the early years of their marriage, Penny chose to be a stay-at-home mother, raising her beloved children, Matthew and Jamie. Once her children reached middle school, she worked part-time for several years before finding full-time employment at Rockwell Collins, where she was a respected administrative assistant. Penny retired from Rockwell after a fulfilling career.

Penny loved spending time with family and friends, dining out, traveling, reading, bowling, playing cards and games, and shopping for purses, clothes, shoes, and home decor. She was artistic, intelligent, independent, and fun-loving. Penny was very proud of her children and grandchildren and eagerly anticipated their next visit or family vacation. She will be forever missed by her family and friends.

Surviving are her son, Matthew (Tamera) Preston of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; her daughter, Jamie (Mark) Moran of Galena, Illinois; and four grandchildren, Hunter and Emma Preston, and Tyler and Kate Moran.

She was preceded in death by her mother and husband.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First Lutheran Church of Cedar Rapids.

The family wishes to express a heartfelt thank you to Prairie Ridge of Galena, Cottage Grove Place, St. Luke’s Hospital and Unity Point Hospice for their compassionate care.