Funeral services for 86-year-old Ventura Saenz Franco of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday morning, April 25, 2016, in Cornerstone Bible Church in Mountain Lake. The church is located at 1019 Prince Street.
Interment will be in the Cornerstone Cemetery (formerly the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Cemetery), located on the west side of 570th Avenue, south of 360th Street and north of 10th Street/Cottonwood County Road 9 in rural Mountain Lake.
Visitation will be at the church the day of the funeral service from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Sturm Funeral Home-Mountain Lake Chapel is handling the funeral arrangements.
Ventura passed away on Monday, April 18, 2016, at Windom Area Hospital in Windom, Minnesota.
Ventura Saenz Franco was born on July 13, 1929, the son of Jose de los Santos and Genoveva Franco in Darien, Chepigana, Republic of Panama. As a young man, he studied on his own to become an auto mechanic. When he was in his early 30s, he worked on the Panama Canal. During his time working on the canal, one of his co-workers told him about Christ, gave him a Bible and introduced him to his pastor who led him to Christ. He was led from the reading of the Scriptures to attend Bible school.
Starting in 1963, Ventura attended school in Panama for three years. During this time, he met Mary Buhler who was a missionary in Panama and one of the teachers at the school. Following his graduation, the church he was attending called him to be their pastor. Mary assisted with music at the church services and Ventura helped with her car repairs.
Ventura and Mary were married on August 1, 1970. Ventura gave his life to building God’s church in Panama and served several areas along the Atlantic Coast, in a mountainous area, 18 years in the area of Matuna and then 17 years in La Pesa.
In June 2013, Ventura and Mary moved to Mountain Lake to be closer to Mary’s family. While in Mountain Lake, Ventura served the Lord with Spanish-speaking families studying the Word. Ventura will always be remembered for how he greeted people with “God bless you.”
He is survived by his wife, Mary of Mountain Lake and Mary’s extended family.
Ventura was preceded in death by his parents; one brother and one sister.
In lieu of flowers, Mary would appreciate gifts to be sent to Avant Mission for the Ministry in Panama at 10000 N. Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, MO 64155 or to the Cornerstone Bible Church in Mountain Lake, where a deacon’s fund has been set up to help with Ventura’s medical expenses.