Henry Cornelius Penner

1901 -1988

Henry Cornelius Penner of Abbotsford BC. passed away June 22, 1988. He was born November 30, 1901 in Steinau, Southern Russian to Cornelius J. & Anna Penner. In 1917 the family move to Neuhort, and in 1919 they fled to Neuendorf to avoid persecution. Here is parents and brother died of typhoid.

In 1921 Henry was baptized by Jacob Rempel and joined the Mennonite Church. He served as a watchman and cook between 1922 and 1925 and in 1925 he moved to Gnadental, Bartov. In 1926 he married Marie Loewen; a union blessed with eight children. The immigrated to Canada in 1927, settling in Lawson, Saskatchewan.

Life was hard on the Prairies, so they moved to the Fraser Valley, settling in bush country near Yarrow, B.C. Here he was active in the MB Church and organizing a Christian school. He worked hard as a custom gardener and operating a small dairy and berry farm. They moved to into Yarrow, where he cared for his wife, Marie Penner, who passed away December 27, 1974.

His family remembers his love and service for the Lord.

Henry was predeceased by his wife Marie and one grandchild. He is mourned by his children: Susan Fedrau of Sardis, B.C.; Henry of New Westminster B.C.; Cornelius of Williams Lake, B.C.; Peter of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan; Martin of New Hazelton, B.C.; Bernie of Langley, B.C.; and John of Milden, Saskatchewan; 22 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. The funeral was June 25, 1988 in Greendale MB Church with Len Doerksen and Henry Claassen ministering.

Marie Penner

July 14, 1902 - Dec 27, 1974



(Mrs.) Maria Penner was born July 14, 1902 to Martin and Susanna Loewen in Gnadental, Russia, where she also spent her childhood and youth. Her mother died in 1922, so she helped to raise the family. She was saved and baptized in 1922. In 1926 she married Heinrich Penner. A year later, in 1927 they came to Canada, settling in Lawson, Saskatchewan where they were baptized into the Mennonite Brethren Church. In 1941 they moved to Yarrow B.C.

Maria passed away December 27, 1974.

The funeral was held in the Yarrow Mennonite Brethren Church on December 31, 1974, with Rev. P.D. Loewen and Peter Unger officiating.

Maria Penner was survived by her husband Heinrich C. Penner, seven sons and one daughter: Henry of Langley, B.C., Susan of Hazelton, B.C., Neil of Williams Lake, B.C., Jake of Prince George, B.C., Peter of Jamaica; Martin of Hazelton, B.C., Ben of Langley and John of Neville, Sask., 14 grandchildren; one brother, Jacob Loewen; and one sister, (Mrs.) Susan Bergen both of Winnipeg.