Penner, Peter A. (1871-1949)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1949 Oct 6 p. 1

Birth date: 1871 Apr 2

text of obituary:

Pioneer Missionary To India Passed Away on Monday

LARGE LEPER HOME STANDS AS MONUMENT TO P. A. PENNER

Dr. P. A. Penner, whose 41 years of service as a missionary in India was marked by outstanding service to lepers, passed away at the Bethel Deaconess hospital here Monday morning after a long illness. He was 78 years of age.

Funeral services were announced for Wednesday afternoon at the Moody's Funeral Home and the First Mennonite church of Newton, of which he was a member. Ministers who were to take part in the service included Rev. A. E. Kreider and Rev. D. J. Unruh, local pastor, both of whom are members of the Foreign Mission Board, Rev. John Thiessen of the India field, and Rev. J. E. Entz.

Honored by Government

Dr. Penner, who was born at Bilisirkow [sic Belo Sirko], South Russia on April 2, 1871, first went to India in 1900 as a pioneer worker on the new General Conference mission field. There he founded the Bethesda Leper Home, now one of the largest leper homes in India, and served as its superintendent for many years. He became one of the leading missionaries of the present century, being recognized for his services on several occasions by the Indian government.

In 1941 he returned to Newton to retire, but his heart and interest remained with the people and the field where he labored for so many years.

Surviving him are his wife, Mrs. Martha Richert Penner; one daughter, Mrs. H. R. Schmidt of Newton; two grandchildren; three sisters and one brother, Helen Penner and A. A. Penner of Mountain Lake, Minn., Mrs. H. H. Klein of St Paul, Minn., and Mrs. Anna Isaac of Newton.

The Mennonite obituary: 1949 Dec 20 p. 7