Penny Callero Hanson's Obituary
On January 11, 2024, Penny Callero Hanson, a loving wife and mother of two, and an amazing grandmother, passed away at the age of 68 in Littleton, CO of complications from surgery. Her loss is completely unexpected, and her family is profoundly saddened.
We will always remember her joy in seeing young people succeed in their lives and professions, which led her to being heavily involved in various PTAs, and then progressed to high school counseling, receiving a MS in counseling, and finally owning her own college coaching business. She helped select the finalists in the Minds Matter Denver program for many years. Penny prided herself on being an educator and was known for her willingness to work with any student looking for guidance.
Born August 31, 1955, in Tacoma, WA to Norma and Monti Callero, a USAF Colonel, Penny lived in various places including Japan, Virginia, California, and Colorado. In 1973, she graduated from the Air Academy High, Colorado Springs, where she was a gymnast and ran track. Then moving to Texas, she attended Southwest Texas State University where she was on the gymnastics team.
In 1979, during a blizzard, Penny married Mark Hanson in Colorado Springs. In 1981, they moved to Tulsa, OK, where both of her sons, Eric and Mitchell, were born. Penny was a full-time mom and active in the Junior League, developing many lifelong friends. The family moved back to Colorado in 1993, where they settled down, raising their two boys together, close to mountains and outdoors. In 2012, after the boys moved out, each studying at CU Boulder, Penny and Mark divorced. Penny embraced life in a new way, which included becoming a world class pole vaulter. At the age of 58, Penny participated in the World Masters track and field championships in Porto Alegre, Brazil, coming in 2nd place in pole vaulting in her age group. An avid reader, Penny loved her Ken Caryl and Veneto Court book clubs.
Penny faced the heartbreaking tragedy of Mitch passing away January 15, 2015. Penny and Mark established a scholarship and selected the finalist at the Smoky Hill High School for 10 years. Yet the sorrow of losing Mitch never eased for the rest of her life, and we know that she has walked through that door to meet Mitch on the other side and has finally found closure.
In 2016, Penny made her “best decision ever” by marrying Bill Noyce. They traveled throughout the US and Europe and treasured their time with grandson Sebastian after he was born in 2018. Penny was a devoted grandmother, visiting and video calling Sebastian often. She loved her happy place (Coronado), being part of the Noyce family, doing anything French, joining in neighborhood get togethers, and meeting Bill’s SEAL Team Compatriots. Penny and Bill genuinely enjoyed every day together.
Penny was best known for her clever humor, fierce competitive nature, love of pink, and bubbly personality – she always had the perfect headdress for every occasion and was the forever impeccable fashion statement. She is survived by her husband, Bill Noyce, and her son, Eric (Kylie), her grandson, Sebastian, her father, Monti Callero, and her sister Holly Callero Penny.
A memorial service will be held on Friday March 8, at 1:30 p.m. in the Dixon Chapel at the Cherry Hills Church located at 3908 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126. There will be a live stream video for those unable to attend in person (https://youtube.com/live/1jROsjkkkyc?feature=share). In lieu of giving flowers, the family asks for donations to the Ronald McDonald House (https://rmhc-denver.org/donate/).
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