Octogenarian takes on second career as minister
Donald Zenner, 84, became an ordained minister in June.
Donald Zenner’s certificate of ordination
Donald Zenner is not one to let age get in the way of a major calling.
Zenner retired in 2009 after a long career in the family trade of barbering, but not to take it easy. Instead, he became an ordained minister at the age of 84.
Barbering was Zenner’s job for 58 years. He got his barber’s license in 1951 after learning under his father, Frank Zenner, who opened his own barber shop, Zenner’s Barber Styling shop at 322 S. Main St. in Washington, in 1949. Zenner barbered through high school and college. After college, Zenner lived and barbered in New York, but after his father died, he moved back to Washington and took over the family shop in 1979. In 2009, he retired because of health reasons, then began working toward his ordination.
While working in his barbershop, Zenner said he did some “indirect counseling” with his customers.
“Yeah, I saved a few marriages,” he said. “Just by listening.”
On June 18, Zenner officially became ordained by Bishop Philip J. Campbell in the order of the Abundant Life Ministerial Fellowship at Lancaster, Ohio. Ordination is a two-year process.
Before becoming officially ordained, Zenner was active in what is known as lay ministry, in which members of various denominations who are not ordained or full-time, paid clergy perform many of the functions of a minister. Zenner had officiated at funerals and been the guest speaker at churches.
Zenner and Eleanor, his wife of 60 years, met at Nyack College, formerly known as Nyack Missionary College, where Eleanor was a typist and Zenner was working toward his degree. He graduated in 1962, and during his time there, they married and had two children.
“When I was an adolescent, I received Christ as my personal savior, and my calling to the ministry came by my teen years. That’s why I went to Nyack College, to prepare for it,” Zenner said.
Although Zenner heard a calling for Christ at an early age, he did not make it a career until now.
“I never went from my preparation years right to the ministry or the church, and I can’t explain that … but I never lost my calling,” he said.
Ordination “is important to me because it was important to my family,” Zenner said. “I never sought after titles or recognition, but I’ve been witnessing and preaching Christ all my life.”
Zenner is actually the third member of his family to become an ordained minister. His son and nephew are both ordained, as well. One of the reasons Zenner decided to be ordained is because his daughter wanted him to perform her wedding ceremony. Since he was not ordained at that time, Zenner’s nephew performed the ceremony instead.
Zenner has Parkinson’s disease, and admits he is limited in what he can do because of his condition.
“You would never believe I ran over 500 races, all different lengths, and I finished every one,” said Zenner. “Now it’s difficult for me to walk.”
As a younger man, Zenner was athletic. He originally went to Waynesburg College on a wrestling scholarship before deciding to join the U.S. Coast Guard and eventually continue his education at Nyack College. A seasoned runner, he competed in marathons for as many years as he could.
Another reason it was important to him to become an ordained minister is he is an inductee in the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, and he wanted to be involved in the annual induction banquet.
Something he really wanted to do, but is unable to because of his condition, was to create a ministry of his own to help those with disabilities.
“I’ve always had a compassion for disabled people,” he said. “I’m believing in hope and that the Lord will give me some relief from this condition so that I can pick up some kind of ministry.”
Zenner planned to call his ministry “In Bound Out Bound,” and he was going to focus on picking up people who use wheelchairs and driving them to errands or outings, with a staff of people to help and a fleet of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
“I guess what I’m happy about is that I finally put the conclusion on my call of God,” Zenner said.