Skip to main content
NewsWith the Lord

Joel Kettenring, Pastor, Professor, Missionary

By October 30, 2014No Comments

Kettenring_inlineCHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—Joel Sanborn Kettenring died Oct. 29 after a prolonged battle with dementia and a recent struggle with heart disease. Joel, 86, had faithfully served the Lord for 67 years.

Joel earned a BA in English from Bryan College in Dayton, Tenn., in 1951, an MDiv from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Ind., in 1955, and a ThM from Central Theological Seminary in Minneapolis, Minn., in 1965.

He served as a pastor, Bible college professor, missionary, mission board executive, and ministry director in cities throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Jamaica. His places of ministry included Grace Baptist Church, Boyceville, Wis.; Faith Baptist Church, St. Paul, Minn.; Hillview Baptist Church and Fairview Baptist Bible College, Montego Bay, Jamaica; First Baptist Church, Wellington, Ohio; Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, Owatona, Minn.; and Baptist Mid-Missions, Baptist for Israel, and Remnant Ministries (formerly the Cleveland Hebrew Mission) in Cleveland, Ohio.

Joel especially enjoyed preaching and teaching, reading, spending time with family and friends at their home on the Albemarle Sound, N.C., and walking his loyal dog, Mister.

After retiring and living in Columbia, N.C., for seven years, the Kettenrings moved to Chattanooga to be near family.

Joel is survived by his loving wife and ministry partner of 65 years, Pauline; four children, Ken, Keith, Kristine Winkler, and Kevin; 11 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be on Oct. 30, 5–8 p.m., at the Chattanooga Funeral Home East Brainerd Chapel in Chattanooga, Tenn., and also on Saturday, Nov. 1, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., at First Baptist Church in Wellington, Ohio, followed by a memorial service at 2:30 p.m. Interment will be at New Brighton Cemetery in Brighton, Ohio.

The Kettenring family requests that memorial contributions be made to either Remnant Ministries (PO Box 24398, Cleveland, OH 44124) or to Homestead House (8318 Heron Circle, Ooltewah, TN 37363).

The family would especially like to thank hospice and their wonderful nurses for the tender, loving care they provided for Joel in his last days.

Joel’s family and friends will miss him dearly and long remember him for his kind and humorous manner and his deep love for Christ, his family, and the special Christian friends he ministered to and with throughout his lifetime.