by Jeannette Class

Gilbert “Skip” Penfold passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2017 in St. Peters, Missouri at the age of 78. Skip was diagnosed with Mesothelioma and had been fighting this disease for several years. Mesothelioma is an aggressive disease that develops in the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos.

Skip was born in Flushing, NY on Oct. 8, 1938. The family moved to St. Louis in his early childhood and married Judith Junge on Dec. 6, 1958 in St. Clair, Illinois. Skip retired having been employed as an iron worker with Iron Workers Local #396 for 60 years; during his career he helped build the St. Louis Gateway Arch and other prominent St. Louis structures. Skip was a member of the Sons of the Amvets Post #106. He also was the head of the Sad Sack 601 which provides scholarships for aspiring nurses. Skip was a member of the NHPA/MOHPA for 15 years.

Back in the 1950’s I went to Pattonville High School with Skip, although he was a year ahead of me, I knew him for being somewhat quiet, mild mannered and always a gentleman. I don’t think that trait stayed with him all through the years. And if I hadn’t run into him again twenty years later I most likely wouldn’t be sitting here writing an article about him. If it wasn’t for Skip and his wife, Judy, there would be very few horseshoe pitchers in this part of St. Charles. Together, they formed the Golden Triangle Horseshoe Club. The club originated in St. Peters at the Golden Triangle Ball Park. Once the park was sold, the club continued with its name at different locations in the area. Today it is still in existence at the Quail Ridge Park and pitches in the summer time. Many pitchers began their first organized pitching activities with this club in 1984. You did not have to join the MOHPA/NHPA at that time unless you would participate in tournaments.

Skip always enjoyed the sport of horseshoe pitching and he and Judy would travel to many areas to pitch even before they discovered there was room at the park for them to put in some horseshoe pits (with the long concrete walks for the women to pitch). Skip had high hopes for reviving horseshoes in the St. Charles County area, and Judy had high hopes of getting enough ladies to pitch in their own league. By word of mouth and newspaper advertising, Judy had enough women to start two leagues. Judy had just developed the first women’s horseshoe league in Missouri. As it turned out they had enough pitchers to fill four nights of league pitching! The club eventually peaked with 147 members, second only in the United States to a league in Detroit, Michigan having 163 members.

From Monday through Thursday evenings the horseshoe courts were filled with fun, excitement, enthusiasm and good pitching competition was beginning to develop. This is where many of us got our first taste of horseshoe competition which has stayed with us for over 30 years. So many of the members from that era are now deceased but the memories we shared with each of them are countless and priceless.

Skip was a coordinator in the first National Senior Olympics held at Washington University for horseshoes in 1987. Ed Jackson, won the first tournament and was awarded the first gold medal ever issued for the National Senior Olympics in the horseshoe event. L.C. Kelly also won a gold medal in his division. The GTHC also directed the horseshoe event for the St. Charles County Golden Games. These events are currently being held at the NHPA facility by the QRHC. In 1986, the GTHC sponsored a horseshoe tournament during the St. Peters Old Tyme Picnic with all proceeds going to charity. It became an ongoing event for many years and was a main attraction of the fair. After Skip & Judy left, Don and Mary Ann Ell became the tournament directors of this three-day event.

You might say that Skip and Judy created a ‘monster’ in horseshoes in the St. Charles area. Their deeds of hard work and dedication inspired many to carry their love of horseshoes a little further into serious competition. I can tell you that it brought about a change in a lot of lives, enabling horseshoe pitchers to pursue a backyard game onto national levels. Missouri horseshoe pitchers are extremely grateful to Skip and Judy for their time, service, promotion and dedication to the sport of horseshoes.

Skip is survived by his wife, Judy, his three children, ten grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews and friends. He his preceded in death by his son, Jeffrey, and his parents, Gilbert Sr. and Ruth Penfold. Skip was laid to rest at the St. Charles Memorial Gardens.