Delbert Wayne Penner

Delbert Wayne Penner completed his earthly race on June 28th, 2024 peacefully surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Jeannie (Miller), his son Marcus and his wife Melissa, his daughter Jillian Thompson and her husband Christian, his daughter Stephanie Liebe and her husband Michael, his son Travis, eight grandchildren, his sister Vera Friesen, his sister Janene Klaus and her husband Alan. Del was born on April 17th, 1953 to Fred Penner and Dora Penner (Woelk) in Beatrice, Nebraska. After graduating from Beatrice High School in 1971, he moved to Goshen, Indiana where he met his wife Jeannie. Feeling called to serve the Lord in Europe, they packed up everything and moved to Bern, Switzerland in 1982 and then to Idar-Oberstein, Germany in 1985, where they faithfully served the Lord for 39 years. Del pastored and helped start four churches and later led a significant ministry to refugees entering Germany. In May 2024, Del and Jeannie moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to be close to their children and grandchildren. Del was transformed by the love of his heavenly father and this impacted every aspect of how he lived his life. He deeply loved his family and used every opportunity to pass on a legacy of faith and love to his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed reading, playing games, riding bikes and playing sports with his grandchildren and was never afraid of looking goofy to bring joy to them. Del was loved by everyone and did not know a stranger. A ten-minute walk to the store would regularly turn into thirty minutes as he found people to talk to along the way. Del brought joy and laughter to everyone around him. His willingness to selflessly invest in the lives of so many, especially refugees, made him an admired friend and father figure. Everyone knew Del was the person to call if they needed hands to help move, a visit if they were lonely, a word of encouragement when they were down or a shoulder to cry on in time of need. Del was always optimistic. He approached every aspect of life with a sense of wonder and awe. Del was gentle, kind and slow to anger. He always saw the best in people. Everything he did was done passionately and wholeheartedly. Without fail, you could find him early mornings every day spending time with his heavenly father. He loved journaling what he heard from the Lord and sharing it with others. He was a lifelong learner and took joy in researching scripture and the world around him. Exercising, especially jogging, was one of his passions. His runs took him through mountains in Switzerland, minefields in Kosovo, beaches in Sri Lanka, the backwoods of Angola and so many other places he traveled. He loved playing Yahtzee, watching Nebraska football, eating peanut butter and chocolate, listening to podcasts and watching good movies. There will be a reception with the family on Friday, July 5th from 5-7pm and a Celebration of Life service on Saturday, July 6th at 3pm. Both events will be hosted by Harvest Community Church in Goshen, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, memorials to honor Del can be sent to Globe International (https://globeintl.org/members/penner-del-jeannie)

Delbert Wayne Penner

April 17, 1953 - June 28, 2024