Edwin Penny's obituaries said a lot about the man and his standing in the community. It was said that he was a "prominent figure in many local institutions as well as being on the Directorate of the Market Gardener’s Association." Another newspaper stated that he was "also of the committee of the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum, Horticultural Society and many smaller local bodies" and that he "took an active part in Church and Temperance work and was announced to preach yesterday in the pulpit of the Church of Christ of which he was one of the Founders." At the following Council meeting on Monday 18 December the President Councillor W. Kelly said of Penny "that for all the years he knew Penny he always found him to be a strictly honest, upright and honourable man.", going on to say that "like the late Councillor Burgess, God had sent him specially to the district to be an example to the people to follow." He went on to say that Penny was a "generous man, always ready to give advice and assistance in anything that was going on." He further states that "whilst in the Council he performed very good work. He was a good Churchman but was not what one might call a wowser." Kelly moved a motion that a letter of sympathy be forwarded to Penny's widow and family. Councillor LePage seconded the motion and said "that during the years Penny occupied a