Nowald Poenitz

Birth
Nowald Poenitz was born at home in La Vernia, a South Texas farming community, some 30 miles east of San Antonio, on December 20, 1919, the youngest of 8 children. He had three brothers and four sisters, who have all predeceased him.
Early Childhood
Nowald’s early childhood memories have him tending to the chickens and turkeys on the farm. He fondly recalled his mom’s delicious cooking from a woodburning stove in a kitchen without a refrigerator. In this small German enclave, English was spoken only at school. His parents, Bruno and Rosa Poenitz, knew of the challenges involved in taking care of their eight children during the depression. Living on a farm, seasonal fruits and vegetables were readily available. Watermelons, corn, cantaloupes, cotton, maize, peanuts, and cattle were raised on their property. If it became too dry and the grass withered, the cactus thorns were burned off the cactus so the cattle could have food to eat.
School
In that farming community, Nowald attended a small multi-grade public classroom where he finished the 8th grade. Later he would attend barber school in Dallas to prepare for his life career.
World War II
Nowald’s older brother, Helmut, was needed to help the family on the farm, so Nowald was next in line for duty in WWII. His pre-training occurred in Oklahoma City for the Medical Cadet Corps, where he received his notice for induction into the US Army at Ft. Sam Houston, TX. From boot camp this farmer/soldier transferred to Camp Lee and then Camp Pickett, VA, and later to Camp Ellis, IL, then to Camp Atterbury, IN and finally departed with a US Army convoy to Hackensack, NJ where he boarded ship for Liverpool, England. . In the army Nowald built friendships with several Adventist soldiers such as Derwood Chapel, Bernard Penner, and Kenneth Mathews, Sr. As the war progressed these men found support with each other, but eventually received orders which sent them in different directions during the war—some to the European front and others to the Pacific theater.
Nowald recalls choices he made during this time and requests he placed with his superiors in order for him to keep the Sabbath while serving his country. One choice Nowald made was to volunteer for KP duty. He recalls many times peeling 100 pounds of potatoes to supply meals for the soldiers. Kitchen duty providentially stalled his assignment to Europe where many of the early soldiers lost their lives on the Normandy beaches. One officer gave orders for soldiers to practice rope climbing up the sides of the ships on Sabbath. However, when Nowald explained his Sabbath keeping convictions, the officer became aware that other soldiers would also be unavailable, so, the practice session was called off. During his training period before departure overseas, Nowald also spent Sabbaths in Richmond, VA as well as Washington, DC. While at Camp Atterbury, IN, Nowald found hospitality in an Adventist lady’s home where she would invite the soldiers to come for Sabbath lunch after church in Bloomington.
WWII Roles
So what about his service in WWII? Several roles surface:
Early on his kitchen duties took precedent, but later he engaged with his medical training in an army field hospital in Europe—Belgium, France, and Germany. Among other duties, he would translate for the officers as the American soldiers confiscated homes for lodging. He found this work of instructing Germans to leave their homes for the American soldiers to be difficult, but obligatory. In addition to these roles, Nowald often found his barber skills in demand as other soldiers wanted their hair cut.

During one furlough to La Vernia, TX Nowald had to walk 15 miles home one night from the train station. The train was late coming into Seguin and his brother, Helmut, figured the schedule had been miscommunicated; so he left the train depot and went home. With phones in the country not yet installed, Nowald had no alternative except to walk home. So, he walked those 15 miles during the dead of night, clipping off about a mile every 15 minutes, and made it after about 3 ½ - 4 hours.
Marriage
As some may remember from my mother’s memorial service a few weeks ago, Dad and mom met at Texas camp meeting in Keene. From that first divine appointment, God kept their lives wedded for what would have been their 67th wedding anniversary on October 16th this year. To this union both Steve and Brenda came. Dad attended barber school while mom worked in Jack’s cookie factory in Ft. Worth and then later sold Uncle Arthur’s Bible Stories. They were married in Sanger, Texas at mom’s parent’s home with 100 family and friends in attendance.
House-building
A few years after they were married Nowald and Susie re-established their residence in Watauga, north of Ft. Worth. Steve had already been born and Brenda came along shortly thereafter. However, in 1970, they chose to move to Arlington because of Burton’s property and the church school. Land at that time sold for $1000 per acre. Dad almost single-handedly built that home while continuing his work at the 7th Street Barber Shop, and was their home of residence at death. Probably the influence of his carpenter dad, Bruno, paved the way for Dad to build 2 houses in Watauga and later their final home in Arlington.
Travels
Along with their travels to south Texas and Sanger, Dad with mom traveled many places to visit Steve and Erney in their ministry assignments…New Jersey, British Columbia, Oregon, Kansas City, TN. As a homebody, many a time when returning, Dad would state, “I really enjoy just being home and sitting on the porch watching the pecan trees grow!”
Job Change
After 39 years, Dad retired from the 7th St. Barber Shop to work with Terry Jobe as foreman for his home-building projects. Final retirement occurred some years ago when dad decided to stay closer to home and attend to his home and garden. These duties kept him busy while also pitching in and helping Brenda with things around her yard and house (particularly the dog and cat who both looked forward to his noon day visits).
Hobbies
Neighbors, friends, and relatives will remember Nowald for his faithful work in the garden and sharing his vegetables with them. His children believe that garden work is what lengthened his days beyond the Biblical 3 score and 10. He exercised vigorously in the garden and seasonally with lawn work and pecan cracking and shelling. Dad has left an incredible work ethic model that his family fondly remembers.
Dad, in his earlier years, also enjoyed playing the guitar while his brother, Helmut Poenitz, played on the violin. Sometimes they would play for functions around their small town with Dad on the guitar and Helmut on the violin or accordion.

Church
Dad supported the church faithfully with his heart and pocketbook. He loved Jesus dearly and expects to see Him come in the clouds of heaven. He desires the same for his entire family. He served in the Seventh-day Adventist Church as elder, SS superintendent, school board chair and member. Dad encouraged his family to be a part of the early church plant experience when Pastor Leonard Webb worked with the Ft. Worth First SDA Church to plant the Handley SDA Church on the east side of Ft. Worth.Like his wife, Susie, dad enjoyed 3ABN, the Hope Channel, and LLBN. They loved their Sabbath School class and church at Arlington.
Family
Dad loved to go with his family to the rodeo, state fair, six flags, and of course the 4th of July parade and family picnic in Seguin. Steve remembers him also taking the whole family to the opening of the New Texas stadium in Irving to hear Billy Graham preach at that grand opening.
As a father he stands out as a gentle giant of a man. Quietly and gently guiding his family in the ways of truth and right. He never tried to push himself or that of his family to the forefront yet was always there to assist support and guide. He set an example of a man who was first and foremost dedicated to God, and secondly to his family. For the past 17 years he faithfully stood by his wife’s side as she struggled through one health issue after another. He tenderly cared for her throughout these 17 years as she spent many of the last in a wheel chair and in and out of the hospital and rehab. He, knowing of his own health issues was deeply concerned about what would happen to her if he died before she did. When she went to her rest on August 23, he was both relieved and devastated. Relieved that he would not leave her first to be cared for by others, and devastated because his wife of almost 67 years, his constant companion, was gone. His bucket list completed, he could now go to rest himself.
Death/Burial
Dad passed away on Tuesday morning, October 1, and will be buried at the Keene Memorial Park near Cleburne alongside his wife, Susie. Together they sleep until that great resurrection morning when Jesus comes to call them home.