Pennings, Clarence 1933-2024

PENNINGS, GESINK, TILSTRA

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/11/2024 at 16:25:19

Mr. Clarence Pennings, age 91, of Orange City, passed away on Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

A visitation with the family present will be held on Friday, August 23, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. A prayer service will take place on Saturday, August 24, at 10:00am, at the funeral home, followed by interment at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a memorial service on Saturday, at 11:00am, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Orange City with the Rev. Brent Pennings and the Rev. Stephen Terpstra officiating.

Clarence was born on July 4, 1933, in rural Orange City, the son of Henry and Johanna (Gesink) Pennings. He was raised on the family farm and graduated from the Northwestern Classical Academy as his class valedictorian. He then earned an associate’s degree from the Northwestern Junior College. After working on the family farm for a couple of years, he was drafted into the United States army. He served our country for two years with one year overseas in Germany.

On September 27, 1957, he was united in marriage to Henrietta Elaine Tilstra in Inwood. They made their home near Inwood for a few years before settling on a farm south of Orange City. For six decades, Clarence lived on the farm, tending to his dairy cows, pigs, sheep, hunting dogs, and horses. He also farmed the land, growing mostly corn and soybeans. Henrietta passed away on August 16, 2014, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after more than 56 years of marriage.

Mr. Pennings was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Orange City, where he had been an elder and deacon, and taught Sunday school and catechism. He enjoyed woodworking and made special creations for his grandchildren. He also liked to collect coins and spent many hours working with his horses.

Survivors include his six children, Rhonda Pennings and Karen Pennings, both of Orange City; Steven Pennings, and his wife, Phyllis, of Stickney, South Dakota; the Rev. Brent Pennings, and his wife, Dianne, of Escalon, California; Scott Pennings, of Sioux City; and Greg Pennings, and his wife, Janell, of Sioux Center; ten grandchildren, Connor Pennings, and his wife, Jenna; Aften, and her husband, Gage Weller; Colin Pennings; Kendra, and her husband, Scott Kamp; Breanna, and her husband, Peter Bos; Adam Pennings; Regan, and her husband, Zach Mouw; Parker Pennings, and his fiancé, Ashlyn Ludwig; Meysi Pennings; and Mikaiah Pennings; five great-grandchildren; a sister, Helen Anderson, of Orange City; two brothers and their wives, Milton and Judy Pennings and Harold and Evelyn Pennings, all of Orange City; two sisters-in-law, Irene Pennings, of Orange City; and Margaret Pennings, of Kalamazoo, Michigan; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by six brothers, Adrian, Henry James, Engelbert, Wilbur, Lawrence, and Gerrit Pennings; and six sisters, Adrianna Nibbelink, Edna Fedders, Gertrude Pennings, Mathilda Deur, Harriet Pennings, and an infant.

Memorials will be given to the First Christian Reformed Church and the Orange City Christian School.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.