Leroy E. Kennel

LeRoy E. Kennel, 88,  of Goshen, died Thursday, February 14, 2019, at Elkhart Meadows.

LeRoy Kennel was born in Shickley, Nebraska to Peter and Anna (Reeb) Kennel.

In 1953 he married Pauline Graybill of Freeport, Illinois.  They have lived in Goshen for the past seven years.  She survives along with four children, Jon (Mary) Kauffmann-Kennel of Elkhart, Rita (Larry) Lopienski of Bartlett, IllinoisJanice (Lonnie) Ropp of Schaumburg, Illinois, and Jay (Laura Grabowski) of Riverside, California; eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a brother, Willard.

He was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings; sister Fern Springer and brothers Harry, Lester and Mahlon.

LeRoy received an AA degree from Hesston (KS) College, BA from Goshen (IN) College, MDiv from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (then Goshen Biblical Seminary), MA from University of Iowa, and PhD from Michigan State University.

LeRoy pastored a number of churches, founding Lombard (IL) Mennonite Church, and founding as co-pastor with Pauline Christ Community Mennonite Church (Schaumburg, IL).  He served interim pastorates including Kern Road Mennonite Church (South Bend, IN) and as co-pastor with Pauline at Little Pine Church of the Brethren (Goshen, IN) and North Liberty (IN) Church of the Brethren.

LeRoy taught at schools including Goshen College, Bethany Theological Seminary (then in Oak Brook, IL) where he taught for 14 years, and Indiana University at South Bend.

LeRoy served as President of the Academy of Homiletics and of the Religious Speech Communication Association, as well as Chairperson of Preaching and Worship of the North American Academy of Liturgy.  The Academy of Homiletics presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

He wrote The Bible and Worship , Ecology of the Airwaves , Preaching as Shared Story , and Visual Arts and Worship .  The role of Christians in political life was a strong interest; he ran for the U.S. Congress from Illinois in 1980 and 1982.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 16, 2019 at College Mennonite Church in Goshen with visitation from 1-2:30 and a service at 3:00.

Memorial contributions may be given to AMBS or Mennonite Central Committee.