Barbara & Darrell Jantz

Through the sixth grade, Darrell was reared in Canton, Kansas, where the family attended the rural Spring Valley Mennonite church. His father Clyde owned a retail/wholesale milk and ice business. As a child, Darrell learned to work alongside his dad. In the summer, he would ride along to get the milk from the supplier, deliver to retail stores and restaurants in the area, and make door-to-door deliveries three times a week in the early morning hours. Darrell’s family moved to Hesston, KS, when Darrell was in the seventh grade. There he also completed high school at the Hesston College Academy.

Barbara was reared in a family with an adventuresome spirit. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, the Barge family moved to Upland California shortly after, and remained five years before moving to Arkansas, near Calico Rock. The family attended Mt Joy Mennonite Church and the children went to the Culp Mennonite School. There Barbara’s father Willard continued his work as carpenter, while the whole family participated in subsistence farming. In 1960, the Barges moved to Hesston, Kansas.

Darrell and Barbara met in Hesston, attended the academy together, and were married at Hesston Mennonite Church in 1963. Barbara was employed by Hesston Corporation as Darrell pursued an engineering degree (beginning at Bethel College, transferring to Wichita State University). Upon graduation in 1969, Darrell began employment with Halliburton Energy Services in Duncan, OK, as a design engineer, designing and building oil well servicing trucks, trailers, and offshore skid units.

The Jantzes have two children: Michael and Jennifer. Since there wasn’t a Mennonite congregation in Duncan, Darrell and Barbara joined the First United Methodist Church soon after their move. Both children were nurtured in that loving community of faith. Later each graduated from Oklahoma City University (a United Methodist institution). Barbara and Darrell found their places of service in various positions at FUMC: youth sponsors, Sunday school teachers, as lay speakers, and in administrative leadership, with a special love for the Chancel Choir, in which they participated for 40 years.

In 1993, Barbara joined the staff at First Christian Church, Duncan, as Director of Adult Ministries. Having an “additional” church richly blessed their lives. Barbara retired from FCC in Nov 2009 after sixteen years of ministry. Darrell completed 40 years of service in Jun 2009, retiring in Oct 2009.

Barbara enjoys reading, book club discussions, walking, traveling. Darrell’s hobbies include golfing and traveling. He also enjoyed restoring his father’s 1955 Chevy pick-up (which was purchased new and used on all those milk deliveries).

With full support of their two children and spouses (and four beloved grandsons: Caleb and Colin, Jacob and Luke) who are making plans to visit London, Darrell and Barbara are very excited about their “joint-service” as LMC Hosts. It has been a long-held dream since visiting on three occasions, Barbara’s parents, Willard & Elizabeth Barge, who also served as LMC Hosts. Like Bill & Liz before them, Darrell and Barbara are now living out “the call” to serve the church through the ministries of the London Mennonite Centre.

17/02/2010