Penner, Victor (1921-2002)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2003 Feb 7 p. 19

Birth date: 1921 Jan 22

text of obituary:

VICTOR PENNER

Victor Penner passed away Nov. 3. He was born jan . 22, 1921 to johann and Anna Pen- ner in Nieder-Chor- titza, Ukraine. After leaving school, he worked on a collective farm. In 1943, the family fled to Dresden, '--'--.-11- Germany. He went to Yugoslavia in spring 1944 and to Austria at the end of the war. He did not know where his family was, except 1 brother in Austria. He was reunited with his friend Maria and her daughter Anne. They married Nov. 20, 1945. They went to Germany, where he wa s baptized and joined the MB church. Th ey immigrated to Volendam, Paraguay in 1948 and to Canada in 1961. They settled in Ab- botsford, B.C., bought land and had a chick- en farm for 25 years. They joined East Ald er- grove MB Church, moving to Clearbrook MB Church 3 years later. He and Maria served as deacons as long as health permit- ted. He spent his last years in Menno Hospi- tal, Abbotsford. Predeceased by daughter Katie at 18 months in Austria, daughter Hilda in Paraguay, son Ernst in a car accident at age 20 in 1971, and 6 siblings, he is mourned by Maria; children Annie Loewen, Luise Elphick, Erwin, john, Henry, Helga VanAsseldonk and Mary Willock; 26 grand- children; 27 great-grandchildren; 2 sist e rs and 1 brother. The memorial service was Nov. 7 in Clearbrook MB Church, with Heinz Ratzlaff and Peter Gunther ministering