Penelope Grace Hammel Bendixsen passed away peacefully in her home in Spanish Fork, Utah on May 27, 2025, after more than a year of fighting pancreatic cancer. She was born Feb 5, 1969, to Charles Earl Hammel and Lola May Palmer Hammel in Flint, Michigan, where she lived until she left home for college.

While attending college at Brigham Young University, she met and then married Lynn Gray Bendixsen on December 27, 1990. Shortly after marrying, she graduated from BYU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in composite dance. They had 11 children together and lived in Spanish Fork for nearly 30 years.

Penelope was a wonderful mother and homemaker and began homeschooling her children in 2013. In her early years of being a mother she enjoyed choreographing dances in theater productions for a junior high school and for the Spanish Fork Community Theater. In later years she supported her children in multiple ice skating opportunities. Because the closest rink did not have speed skating offerings, and one of her daughters wanted to speed skate, she played a key role in creating the Timpanogos Speed Skating Club in Provo, Utah and became its Founding President so that her daughter and several others would have the opportunity to learn to speed skate.

She enjoyed many different hobbies over the years, including dancing, beekeeping, ornamental gardening, soap making, sewing (dance dresses, irish dance dresses, skate costumes, prom dresses, etc), landscaping, painting, re-upholstery, baking, and many others.

Penelope had a deep and abiding love for and trust in her Savior, Jesus Christ, that never wavered despite her final trial. She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for her entire life. She enjoyed serving in multiple volunteer positions in the church, many of which involved serving the youth in Cub Scout positions and teaching primary-aged children.

She is survived by her husband Lynn, and 11 children: Melanie Fairbanks (Justin), Sarah Molen (Michael), Laurel Sanders (Sam), Erin Pyle (David), Gavin, Audrey, Joy, Daphne, Gwenyth, Isette, and Zoe. She is also survived by her siblings Madelyn (James), Roy, and Adell. She was preceded in death by her mother and father.

A visitation will be held in Penelope’s honor on Monday, June 2, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home located at 187 South Main, Spanish Fork, Utah. An additional visitation will be held Tuesday, June 3, 2025 from 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 1661 South 1400 East, Spanish Fork, Utah. Funeral services will immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. at the same address.

For a broadcast of the funeral service please click on the following link: Penelope Bendixsen Funeral Service