Dennis Lee Warkentin, 79, of Clovis, California, left this earth to hear his Lord tell him, “Well done, good and faithful servant” on July 9, 2026, one week after celebrating his 79th birthday. He was born on July 2, 1947, in Enid, Oklahoma, to Ben and Lydia Warkentin, and it was there that his lifelong love of language, laughter, and faith first took root.

After graduating from Tabor College, Dennis moved west to pursue a Master of Divinity at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary. It was during his seminary years that he wandered into a local Happy Steak restaurant where he was served by a woman named Brenda. Although it took him many meals, eventually Dennis asked Brenda out and that changed the course of both their lives. They married and spent more than 53 years together, raising their daughter, Denise, to share her father's endless curiosity, a gift that has carried her to places near and far and a number of academic degrees.

Dennis's faith was the guiding compass of his life. Determined to encounter Scripture as closely as possible to its source, he learned to read Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, tracing the Word of the Lord back through its original languages and contexts. He carried that same devotion into daily life, finding deep community in his church and quietly living God's love and Jesus' sacrifice in the way he treated everyone around him.

Those who knew Dennis will remember his wry sense of humor and quick wit, often in the form of grammatical puns, deployed with the timing of a man who genuinely loved language as much as he loved a good laugh. He found great joy in Christian worship music, a well-made piece of pie, and afternoons flyfishing.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Brenda; his daughter, Denise; his sister-in-law and dear friend, Neva; his nephew, Tim McGee, and family; and the many friends whose lives he touched.

A celebration of Dennis's life will be held on August 20, 2026, at 2:00 pm, at CrossCity Christian Church. All who knew and loved him are invited to join us to sing, worship, and, fittingly, share a good slice of pie in his honor.