Penner, Elise Marie (1891-1955)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 Jan 20 p. 6

Birth date: 1891 Mar 12

text of obituary:

— Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the Frist [sic] Mennonite Church of Halstead for Miss Elise M. Penner, 63, who taught art in the Lindsborg public schools for 19 years. The services were in charge of Rev. Roland Goering, assisted by Rev. H. T. Unruh. Miss Penner died at the Bethel Deaconess hospital here.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 Jan 27 p. 8

text of obituary:

ELISE MARIE PENNER

Elise Marie Penner, daughter of the late Frank and Elise Will [line missing in original surname Penner and birthplace Halstead] [illness on Jan. 12, 1955, in the — line duplicated in original] Kansas on March 12, 1891; and passed away, after an extended illness, on Jan 12, 1955, in the Bethel Deaconesh [sic] hospital in Newton. She reached the age o f63 years and two months.

On July 7, 1907, she was baptized by Dr. J. H. Langenwalter and became a member of the Halstead Mennonite church, of which she remained a faithful member.

Elise, an artist and a teacher, has had a full and rich life. Endowed with courage and persistence she worked her way through school, which was often interrupted by family responsibilities. She had the satisfaction of graduating from the Halstead high school. Later, she obtained a degree in art from Bethany College at Lindsborg, Kansas and a Master’s degree in Art from the Colorado State College of Education, Greeley, Colo.

She held teaching positions at Bethel College, Newton; Medicine Lodge, Kansas; Girls Polytechnic School, West Portland, Oregon; Lindsborg City schools, and for four summers, in the Bethany College Art Department where she taught Drawing, Design, Painting and Crafts. For the past 19 years she has been with the Lindsborg schools.

She sang in the annual rendition of “The Messiah” at Lindsborg Kansas for many years. She was a member of the Delta Phi Delta (The National Art Honor Society) and was a charter member of the American Association of University Women.

She is survived by one sister, Ella (Mrs. Gustave Wiebe) of Newton; five brothers, Frank P. of Portland, Oregon, Henry J. of Burrton, Kansas, Will C. of Halstead, John J. of Newton, and Erich E. of Mankato, Kansas, in addition to nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

Memorial services for Miss Penner were held in the Frist [sic] Mennonite church of Halstead on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 15, 1955, at 2:30 o’clock with her pastor, Rev. Roland R. Goering, as the officiating minister. He was assisted by a former minister of the church and close friend of the family, Rev. H. T. Unruh of North Newton. Mrs. Ernest Mueller, Mrs. Otto Quiring, and Mrs. Harlan Friesen sang: “My God and I,” “A Mighty Fortress is our God” and “Daheim O welch ein schoenes wort.” The organists were Mrs. Milton Ewy and Mrs. Ruth Rose.

Casket bearers were nephews. She was laid to rest in the family lot in the Halstead cemetery.

Many of her friends from Lindsborg attended the memorial services. The comments were that the schools of Lindsborg lost a good teacher, the influence of a good Christian woman and a lovable character.