Louis R. Penningroth 1888-1973

PENNINGROTH, BLYTHE, CUPP, LUNGREN, MORRIS, EILERS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 10/24/2022 at 07:56:34

13 December 1973 - The Tipton Conservative

Funeral services for the Rev. Louis R. Penningroth, 85, a native of Cedar county, were held at St. Andrew Presbyterian church, Iowa City, Dec. 9, with burial in Red Oak Grove cemetery north of Tipton.

The Rev. Penningroth died at his home, Valley View Farm, near Iowa City, Dec. 6, following a long illness.

The son of William and Elizabeth Mensendick Penningroth, he was born near Tipton Nov. 19, 1888. He graduated from Tipton high school, the University of Iowa and Union Theological seminary in New York City. He also attended the University of Chicago, and he did graduate work in journalism and religion at UI. He was on the staff of the UI School of Religion a number of years.

During World War I, he began service in 1915 with the International YMCA for the allied prisoners of war in prison camps of Europe. This culminated in the fourth year of this work in his second of 2 journeys into Russia, where he secured the release of the only American prisoners of war held in Russia.

He was married to Ethel Blythe of Williamsburg in 1919.

He served churches in Iowa, Minneapolis and New York City.

He organized the Youth Church for Sunday Evening which won a national prize in the United Presbyterian church, and which served as a model for similar organizations coast-to-coast.

His lecture tours included more than half the United States. He wrote many articles for religious and agricultural magazines, as well as several books, including "Modern Proverbs", "More Modern Proverbs" and "Retirement and You," in 1971. He lived the past 25 years on his farm at the edge of Iowa City.

He was a member of the Iowa City Rotary club, Cedar Lodge No. 11 AF & AM, Tipton and St. Andrew church.

Surviving are his wife; a son, Philip, Darmstadt, Germany; 3 daughters, Mrs. William L. (Elizabeth) Cupp, Northfield, Minn.; Mrs. Maurice (Peace) Lungren, Hastings, Neb.; and Mrs. James (Nancy) Morris, Hamilton, Ohio; 14 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. August Eilers, Tipton; 3 brothers, Edward and B.G. Penningroth, Tipton, and Dr. Paul Penningroth, Atlanta, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews.

Four brothers and a sister preceded him in death.