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Obituary of Abraham A. Penner
Russia to Kansas January 22, 1841 -- September 12, 1922
Abraham A. Penner, our father and husband, was born January 21, 1841, in the
village of Rudnerweide, South Russia. His father died before he was born and he
lost his mother in the seventh year of his life. He was raised then by Preacher Jacob
Janzen in Schardau in a Christian way and he was baptized when he was 20 and
joined the Mennonite Church. When he was 24 he was married to Elizabeth
Kessler, Berdjansk, and this marriage lasted for six and one half years. They had
no children. Later in 1871 he extended the hand of marriage to me, the now grieving widow, Minnie Funk Penner. We shared a life of joys and sorrows until his death.
The Lord blessed our marriage with 13 children, six sons and seven daughters--of
which nine children have gone into eternity, and four are still alive. He was
grandfather to fifteen grandchildren. In the year of 1899 he with his family
emigrated to America. This was with much prayer because he did not have the
finances. He became confident in God that He would help him through. He later
gave himself more to the Lord, that he could believe that God had forgiven his sins
and by grace he could be saved. Shortly before his death he reaffirmed this, and
wished so much that he could be released from his suffering. He was sick for three
and one half months. He reached the age of 82 years and 8 months. His illness was
bronchial inflamation. We look toward to a joyous reunion in heaven.
Mother and Children
Ingalls, Kansas
Zionsbote, October 25, 1922 page 12
Translated by Elfreda Fast and Kathy Sperling
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