Stanley Bohn was pastor of First Mennonite from 1968-1975
Stanley Bohn, who served as pastor of First Mennonite Church, Bluffton, from 1968 to 1975, died May 19, 2021 at Kidron-Bethel Health Care, North Newton, Kansas.
He was born on Aug. 23, 1930, to Nora Malinda (Lantz) Bohn and Ernest J. Bohn in Tiskilwa, Illinois.
Stan married Anita May Pannabecker on Sept. 6, 1952, shortly after they graduated from Bluffton College.
He is survived by his wife, Anita, and their four children, Charles Bohn (Stella Dettweiler) of California, Kathryn Kendrick of Arizona, Emily Coyne (Dan Coyne) of Illinois, Lorraine Bohn (Henry J. Rempel) of Winnipeg.
He is also survived by eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren, sister, Eleanor Unruh of Kansas, and brother, John Bohn (Tina Warkentin) of Indiana.
Along with his parents Stan was preceded in death by sisters, Helen Klassen, Esther Groves, Catherine Hartman, brother, Alden Bohn, brothers-in-law, Daniel Pannabecker, Otto Klassen, Carlyle Groves and Wesley Unruh, son-in-law Kevin Kendrick, nephew Quentin Groves and niece Annette Hartman.
Stan was a pastor of Rainbow Boulevard Mennonite Church, Kansas City, Kansas; First Mennonite, Bluffton; Shalom Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas; and interim pastor at churches in Hillsboro and Wichita, Kansas, and New York City.
He was Central District Conference pastor for four years, National Conference Resource for social justice for three years, then Executive Secretary for Domestic Ministries for the Mennonite Churches in the U.S. and Canada for nine years.
He and Anita spent three years in Kingston, Jamaica, with Mennonite Central Committee.
He attended Ohio State, where he received an M.A., and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, where he received an M. Div. He pursued other seminary studies at San Francisco, Iliff, Concordia, Garrett, and Auburn theological seminaries.
A celebration of life service is planned for 11 a.m., Saturday, June 12, at Shalom Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas.
The service will be live streamed by the church. Memorial Gifts may be made to Peace Connections, P.O. Box 1147, Newton, Kansas, 67114 or Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, 67117.
Stories Posted This Week
Sunday, September 20, 2026
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Friday, September 18, 2026
- September 18 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Bluffton welcomes incoming class from nine states
- September 2026 Bluffton Lions Club update
- Pirate volleyball sweeps Lima Central Catholic
- Pirate boys soccer win vs. Kenton
- Ramseyer shares grandmother’s fight for citizenship during Bluffton Constitution Day Forum
- How Dillinger robbed a Bluffton bank
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
- Phyllis Ann Reynolds, 77, worked at Citizens National Bank
- Jane Ann (Diller) Thurman, 75, was a nursing home administrator
- Julie C. (Field) Amstutz worked for Putnam County ESC
- Pirate volleyball sweep vs. Wayne Trace
- Findlay Patrol's Donovan promoted to sergeant
- Pirate girls soccer win vs. Delphos Jefferson
- Sept. 14 Bluffton Council: Request for RTA bus signs, pre-1950s unused Maple Grove plots tallied