Bruno Abraham Penner

Bruno A. Penner, 91, of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, passed away April 10, 2020. A private burial has taken place at Mountain Lake Cemetery with Pastor Galen Kauffman officiating. Sturm Funeral Home has handled the arrangements. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. Memorial Contributions in memory of Bruno Penner may be given to either The Gideons International or Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission. Bruno was born May 30, 1928, to Abraham J. and Helen (Wiebe) Penner in Mountain Lake. He received the Lord as his Savior at the age of 13 in Mountain Lake. Later in his teen years, he committed his life to full-time Christian service, while at Medicine Lake Bible Camp. Bruno married Julia Smucker on June 6, 1953, at the Mennonite church in Orrville, Ohio. To prepare for ministry or mission service, Bruno attended seminaries in New York City and Chicago for four years, and medical school in Philadelphia for three years. Prior to beginning pastoral ministry, he had opportunity to serve in Mennonite summer voluntary service in a Los Angeles suburb, among Native Americans at Arizona Hopi Land, and among migrants in northern New York state. He was ordained into the ministry May 24, 1959 at Bethel Mennonite Church, in Mountain Lake. Over a period of 40 years he was the pastor for five Mennonite churches. The churches were located in Glendive, Montana; Meadows, Illinois; Mountain Lake, Minnesota; Fortuna, Missouri; and Newport, Washington. Over the years, he felt it was a privilege to participate in the wedding ceremonies of each of his five children. In his spare time, Bruno liked to play basketball and go fishing, as well as attending the sporting events and musical programs of his children. Bruno is survived by his wife, Julia Penner; his sisters, Anita Penner of Deer River, MN, and Talita Asplund of Shakopee, MN; his five children: Carolyn (Kevin) Randall of Huntsville, TX; Timothy (Carolyn) Penner of Goshen, IN; Sharon (Perry) Harder of Mountain Lake, MN; Mary (Steve) Cheslik of Harrisonville, MO; and Dan (Cheryl) Penner of Blair, NE. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Sigfried Penner and Hellmut Penner; and his great-granddaughter, June Randall. Interment Information Mountain Lake City Cemetery 10th St. N at Midway Rd Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159