Allen Robert Guenther died Dec. 23, 2009. He was born Sept. 13, 1938 in Steinbach, Man. to John and Anna Guenther. When Allen was 8, the family relocated to B.C., where he graduated from MEI and Columbia Bible Institute. He entered the University of B.C. with the intention of becoming a medical missionary but his focus changed to teaching, so in 1960, he enrolled at MBBC, Winnipeg, to acquire a theological degree. He married Anne Wall in 1962. Allen taught at Alberta MB Bible Institute in Coaldale and pastored a local church until the school closed in 1965. He received an MA in New Testament from Wheaton Graduate School and an MDiv from Gordon Divinity School, then returned to MBBC in Winnipeg in 1967 to teach. Allen was in his element in the classroom. In 1970, the family relocated to Toronto where Allen pursued a PhD in Near Eastern Studies at University of Toronto and pastored a church. The family returned to Winnipeg, and Allen to teaching at MBBC in 1975. He was ordained to ministry by River East MB Church and wrote for the conference and for Direction journal. In 1981, the family moved to Fresno, Cal., in response to an invitation for Allen to teach at MBBS. He was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease 3 years later, and was instrumental in establishing the first Parkinson’s support group in the central San Joaquin Valley. He chaired the group for 10 years and often referred to the people who attended as a new parish God had given him. Allen treasured 3 international ministry trips he was able to make: leading students to the Middle East, Egypt, and Greece; teaching Bible courses at Tulpengasse in Vienna; to Kiev, Ukraine. His illness forced him to take sick leave in 1995, and early retirement in 1998. He completed writing Hosea and Amos commentaries for the Believers Church Commentary Series, but the disease continued to take a toll on his body and mind, though mitigated somewhat by surgery in 2004. Allen is mourned by Anne; sons Ron, Barry, Michael; 3 siblings and their families; former colleagues.
1.1K
