Alvin Penner

Alvin I Penner was born December 8, 1935, at home in McPherson County, Kansas, the fourth of five children born to Anna (Pauls) and Isaac Penner.

During his early years he enjoyed farming and raising Black Angus cattle with his family. During high school he was needed on the farm, so he did not have the opportunity to participate in school sports, an activity which he would have loved.

After graduating from Inman High School in 1954, he worked at Culvert Manufacturing Co. in Hutchinson, in addition to fulfilling his farming duties. Wishing to fulfill his conscription requirement with alternative service he registered as a conscientious objector in 1955. He elected to complete his two-year service requirement with Mennonite Central Committee, and went for a four-week orientation session at their headquarters in Akron, PA. He was then assigned to be part of a new MCC unit located in Denver CO.

Al was assigned to serve in the Medical Records Department at Denver General Hospital, which was located within walking distance of the MCC unit housed at First Mennonite Church. The Director of Medical Records provided an excellent learning environment and was a good mentor to Al. It was here that Al first learned about supervision of staff and the coordination of services with other departments within the hospital. This is when he learned that he had a passion for hospital administration.

It was at First Mennonite Church in Denver that Al and Sue first met in the fall of 1957. Sue had to patiently wait for Al to show his interest in her. With few financial resources their dates consisted of walks in the park and singing with the church young adults at area hospitals. That spring semester Sue returned to her home in Ohio to graduate with her high school class. Al and a friend drove to Ohio for the graduation ceremony. Sue rode back with them to Denver for the summer, stopping in Inman so Sue could meet the Penners, who kindly switched their speaking from German to English whenever she entered the room. That summer Al and Sue became engaged. Sue returned to Ohio before arriving in North Newton by train that fall in the middle of the night with a suitcase and her sewing machine, to attend Bethel College. Al joined her a couple of months later when his service time was completed and they were married in May of 1958. He graduated with a BA in 1961.

A short time before graduating from Bethel he was offered a position in a CPA firm in Newton, which he accepted. He worked there for six years and with a growing family it was a great beginning to his career. He enjoyed accounting and auditing, and this provided good occasions for networking.

Opportunity presented itself for a position at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in 1966 and he spent 20 years in administration there, loving every minute. Also, he worked to oversee the transition of Bethel Home for the Aged into the Kidron Bethel Retirement Community as it was developing. During these years he received additional education in hospital administration at St. Louis University.

In 1986 he was recruited to be Chief Operating Officer at Hutchinson Hospital. He thoroughly enjoyed the years in the Hutchinson environment, a bit like coming home as this area was so close to where he had grown up. In 2003 he left the Hutchinson Hospital position and enjoyed five years of less intense engagement, working for Fund Development at Schowalter Villa. After Schowalter Villa he refocused and learned laser engraving, starting a small business which he continued until a month before his death.

With over 40 years of service in the health care field Al participated on many community boards and service clubs. He chaired both the Harvey County United Way and the Harvey County Blood Drive. He served as chair of the Newton USD 373 School Board and the Bethel College Board of Directors, as well as the mayor of North Newton. Having a passion for the church he also served on the board of the Western District of the General Conference Mennonite Church. He enjoyed traveling the country with the Kansas Health Policy Council, learning and sharing best practices in health care administration.

Family connections and spending time together were important to Al. He coached little league teams, facilitated family gatherings and trips, stretched fence, shingled roofs and painted many walls as children and grandchildren moved into their own homes. He enjoyed time in his workshop and made many gifts from wood and acrylic for his family and friends.

In retirement he enjoyed daily coffee with friends at Mojo’s, playing weekly tennis matches and riding his bike on the North Newton trails.

Preceding him in death were his son, Kevin Penner; his parents, Anna and Isaac Penner; a brother, Elmer; two sisters, Sara Irene Penner and Elizabeth Thomas; brother-in-law, Charles Thomas; sister-in-law, Joetta Penner. Those left to mourn his passing are his wife of 67 ¾ years, Sue; a son, Keith (Sharon) Penner; a daughter, Connie (Jerl) Banning; a daughter-in-law Marlene Penner. Grandchildren, Adam (Sarah)Banning; Brooke (William) Heffernan; Jacob Penner (Elizabeth Jamison); Abby (Parker) Lathrop; Isaac Penner (Gabrielle Fangman); Canyon Penner (Riley Quezada); Sienna Penner (Caleb Beachy) and four great-grandchildren, Lucy and Evan Banning; Will and Owen Heffernan.

A memorial service will be held at Bethel College Mennonite Church on Saturday, March 7 at 11:00 a.m. The service will live-streamed. In lieu of flowers contributions can be directed to Mennonite Economic Development Association (MEDA), Bethel College, or Bethel College Mennonite Church and left in the care of Petersen Funeral Home.