Michael Wenning
Michael Wenning | |
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Wenning delivering the invocation at the funeral of Ronald Reagan, June 2004
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Senior pastor of the Bel Air Presbyterian Church | |
In office 1995–2001 |
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Personal details | |
Born | Michael Heeley Wenning July 5, 1935 Cape Town, South Africa |
Died | June 28, 2011 Mission Viejo, California, U.S. |
(aged 75)
Spouse(s) | Freda Wenning (?-2011; his death) |
Alma mater | Texas Christian University, New York University |
Dr. Michael Heeley Wenning (July 5, 1935 – June 28, 2011) was a South African-born American Presbyterian minister. He served as the senior pastor at the Bel Air Presbyterian Church from 1995 to 2001.[1] He gained national prominence when conducting President Ronald Reagan's state funeral.[2]
Early life[edit]
Wenning was born in Cape Town.[3] He was educated at Texas Christian University (Master of Divinity) in Fort Worth, Texas and New York University (master's in both psychology and counseling).
Career[edit]
From 1969 to 1977, he was pastor of a Presbyterian church in Durban, South Africa.[1] In 1977 he returned to the United States where he worked for the next three decades as a pastor in various Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations.[2] He served as the senior pastor at the Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania more than nine years, between January 1977 and August 1986.[4]
Reagan funeral[edit]
He was notably the senior pastor at Bel Air Presbyterian Church from 1995 to 2001. There he developed a close relationship with church members Ronald and Nancy Reagan.[3] He notably conducted President Reagan's interment service on June 7, 2004 following the latter's death and state funeral.[2]
Death[edit]
Wenning died in 2011, just one week before his 76th birthday, at his home in Mission Viejo, California from kidney failure resulting from leukemia.[3] He was survived by his wife Freda and his two daughters.[3] His remains were soon cremated.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Bel-Air Presbyterian to Install New Pastor : Leadership: The Rev. Michael Wenning expects to apply lessons of tolerance from working in his native South Africa". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Michael Wenning Obituary". Legacy.com. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Associated Press (June 30, 2011). "Michael Wenning, Reagans' Pastor, Dies at 75". The New York Times.
- ^ "Obituary: Michael Wenning / Pastor who served in Pleasant Hills, presided at President Reagan's burial". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
NYTolit
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Wenning. |
- Michael Wenning - November 2010 - YouTube
- Michael Wenning at Find a Grave