Another Marionite wins lottery payoff

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 03 April 2007 23:29

Courtesy photo Echo Penwell holds her $20,000 Kansas Lottery check.

She had heard about other Kansas Lottery players winning thousands of dollars on $2 scratch tickets, so she thought she’d give it a try herself. Echo Penwell of Marion was hoping to echo their success.

“I usually play $1 tickets, not $2 tickets, but a friend of ours had won $20,000 on a $2 ticket and I had read about others doing the same thing,” said the 55-year-old woman. “On a whim, I decided to buy three $2 Bonus Crosswords.”

Robert Schmidt and Ralph Kreutziger of Marion shared a $20,000 winning ticket last month.

Penwell was thrilled when she scratched one of the tickets and revealed nine words.

“I thought I was doing wonderful, winning $2,000,” she said.

She didn’t know just how wonderful, though, until she claimed her ticket at Lottery headquarters.

“And the woman who took my ticket told me I hadn’t won $2,000—I’d won $20,000.”

Penwell had overlooked the word “opt” on her ticket, something she opts not to do again, since revealing a tenth word won her a top prize on Bonus Crossword.

Penwell and husband David are parents of four children and also have two foster children. The winner said her family is going to use the prize money to go on a vacation and pay off some bills.

Echo Penwell purchased her lucky ticket in Newton.