Plenert, John J. (1893-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Dec 3 p. 1

Birth date: 1893 Jul 14

text of obituary:

Well-Known Eastern Dist. Pastor Died

REV. J. J. PLENERT WAS CHAIRMAN OF HOME MISSION BOARD

Word has been received here from Lansdale, Pa., of the death of Rev. J. J. Plenert, well known pastor of the Grace Mennonite church there and chairman of the Home Missions Section of the General Conference Board of Missions. He passed away Saturday, Nov. 28, after being seriously ill for a number of weeks.

A message received at the headquarters of the General Conference Mennonite Church here stated that funeral services would be held at the Grace church Wednesday, Dec. 2, with burial at Lansdale.

Rev. Plenert, who was born at Hillsboro, Kans. July 14, 1893, held pastorates at Hutchinson, Kans., and Philadelphia, Pa. before going to Lansdale. He was active in missionary and youth work in both the Western and Eastern District conferences, and had served on the Board of Trustees of the World’s C. E. Union.

He is survived by his wife, the former Magdalena Neuenschwander, a son, James, two grandchildren, and a number of relatives living in Kansas.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Dec 17 p. 9

REV. JOHN J. PLENERT

A career of 32 years in the Christian ministry came to a close on Saturday, Nov. 28, 1953, when Rev. John J. Plenert passed away at his home at 802 Derstine Avenue, Lansdale, Penna., after an illness of several months.

The funeral service was held on Wednesday, Dec. 2. At the funeral home, a fellow Lansdale pastor, Rev. G. Nelson Mink, offered prayer. At the Grace Mennonite church Arthur S. Rosenberger, Ward W. Shelly, Freeman H. Swartz, Wilmer Shelly and A. J. Neuenschwander participated. The latter represented the General Conference Mission Board, of which Bro. Plenert was chairman since the recent session of the conference. The ministers of the Eastern District Conference, under the direction of A. H. Schultz, sang a hymn, “Face to Face.” A quartet from the Grace Mennonite church sang a favorite hymn of Bro. Plenert, “Sweet Peace, the Gift of God’s Love.” Interment was made in the West Swamp Mennonite cemetery.

John J. Plenert was born at Hillsboro, Kansas on July 14, 1893, the son of the late Rev. John and Amelia (Ratzlaff) Plenert. He was married to Magdalene Neuenschwander of Pandora, Ohio, on June 26, 1921. They have one son, James, who is now an architect at Landisville, Penna. Mrs. James Plenert, the former Martha Snyder of Altoona, Penna., is an R. N. and served as special nurse to Bro. Plenert during his illness. They have two children. Bro. Plenert is also survived by five brothers and three sisters.

He was a graduate of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, and of Bethel College, where he received his A.B. degree in 1927. In 1926 and 1927, while attending Bethel, he served as student pastor of the West Zion Mennonite church at Moundridge. He was pastor of the First Mennonite church, Hutchinson, Kansas, from 1921 to 1925 and then again from 1927 to 1936. In the latter year he accepted a call to the First Mennonite church of Philadelphia, Penna. where he served for ten years, and then in 1946 he became pastor of the Grace Mennonite church in Lansdale where he ministered till his call came to enter eternal life.

During the course of his ministry, Rev. Plenert held many district conference offices. He was a member of the Mission Board of the General Conference for 18 years, his sphere of work being largely in the home mission field. He was also a member of the Home Mission Committee of the Eastern District Conference for many years and was active in guiding the work of a number of mission churches and in planning recently the proposed new field of work in northeast Philadelphia.

Bro Plenert preached his last sermon to his people on Sunday, Oct. 18. It took a very special effort for him to do this, but knowing the nature of his illness, it was his great desire to once more on that Sunday preach the gospel to the congregation for whose welfare he had been charged. During the weeks of his illness, his faith and resignation were a continual testimony to all who knew him. In his church and community, throughout the Eastern District and the whole General Conference, the splendid inspiration of his life, which was so fully dedicated to God and his Saviour, Jesus Christ, will always be remembered.