Goerhard Penner was born on September 24, 1961 in Fort St. John, British Columbia, to Frank and Mary Penner. Goerhard grew up in Belize and went to school in the Old Colony School. He was baptized in the Old Colony Church in 1980 and he married Sarah Neufeld in that same year. In 2010 Goerhard and Sarah moved to Canada. Goerhard is predeceased by his parents and his brother David Penner. He is survived by wife Sarah and nine children; Abram and Lisa Schmitt, Susana Penner, Frank and Margaret Penner, Mary and John Friesen, Sara and Cornelius Thiessen, Eva and David Peters, Judy and Cornelius Niekoley, George and Margaret Penner, and John and Helena Penner. Also survived by seven brothers; Franz Penner, Adam Penner, Philip Penner, Jacob Penner, Heinrich Penner, John Penner, and Peter Penner, seven sisters; Mary Klassen, Tina Schalamp, Lena Reimer, Margaret Schmitt, Justina Petkau, Agatha Petkua, and Anna Guenther, nine children, thirty-one grandchildren and two great grandchildren.