Obituary: Dennis James Prutow


July 30, 1939 ~ October 30, 2024

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Dennis James Prutow, age 85, went home to be with the Lord on October 30, 2024. He was surrounded by his loved ones as he passed from this life into his heavenly reward.

Denny was born in Cleveland, Ohio on July 30, 1939, to parents John William Prutow and Inez Mayberry Prutow. He attended the United States Military Academy, graduating in 1963. While not yet a Christian, one of his fondest memories of the military academy was marching to chapel to the band playing popular hymn tunes.

After graduation, Denny served in S. Korea, where he came to know the Lord through the ministry of Division Chaplain Dudley Boyd. Almost immediately, God gave him a sense of call to attend seminary. In God’s providence, there was an Army program allowing officers excess leave to attend seminary and enter the chaplaincy. Denny attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he met Erma Jean Orr, who was also attending Fuller to complete a master’s degree in Christian Education. They were married in 1967.

Following his ordination, Denny served as Group Chaplain for the 6th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg. A tour in Vietnam followed, where Denny served as Battalion Chaplain for the 2/47 Infantry in the 9th Division. While in Vietnam, Denny was awarded a Bronze Star.

Once back home, Denny and Erma left the Army and moved to Dallas, TX. While they sought the Lord’s leading for pastoral ministry, their oldest daughter, Gail Anne, was born in 1971. In 1974, Denny received a call to the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Bartlesville, OK, where he served until 1982. During that time, Denise Kay was born in 1974 and Kristi Lynn was born in 1975.

From 1982 through 1988, Denny developed and ran Westminster Evangelistic Ministries, which provided weekly devotional columns to almost 800 subscribing newspapers, ran the “mini-message of the week” phone ministry and sent a monthly expository newsletter to churches in the OPC and RPCNA. While living in Hutchinson, KS, running WEM and serving as chairman of the board for Central Christian School, Denny began regularly supplying the pulpit at the Sterling Reformed Presbyterian Church and was eventually asked to consider a call. He was installed as Sterling’s pastor in July of 1988. During his time pastoring in Sterling, Denny served as president of the local Chamber of Commerce, was privileged to moderate Presbytery, to chair both the Candidates and Credentials Committee and the Home Missions Committee and to serve Synod on the Seminary Board of Trustees. He was a favorite guest preacher and speaker at youth retreats, conferences and chapel services at Central Christian. In the summers, he taught at Sangre de Cristo seminary in Colorado.

In 1998, Denny received his Doctor of Ministry degree through Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. And in 2001, he accepted a call as Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology at RPTS and moved to Pittsburgh, PA. In addition to teaching, Denny became Dean of Faculty and wrote and published five books.

Following his retirement from the seminary, Denny and Erma moved to Indianapolis, IN, where Denny continued to teach, preach and mentor seminary students and pastors as long as his health allowed. Denny leaves an extensive heritage of faith that will continue to grow through his family, the students he taught and the many lives he touched during his years of ministry.

Denny is predeceased by his oldest daughter, Gail Anne Prutow (1971-2021).

Denny is survived by his wife Erma, their daughters Kristi Cirignano and Denise Ryherd, 11 grandchildren and 2 great-granddaughters and will be deeply missed by many more extended family and friends. We rejoice in the confidence that he completed the work he was called to do, that he heard those precious words: “Well done, good and faithful servant” as he entered the Lord’s presence and that we will be reunited with him in glory.

A Memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M., Monday, November 4, 2024, at the Second Reformed Presbyterian Church, 4800 N. Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46228. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, November 8, 2024, at the Sterling Community Cemetery, 500 E. Cleveland Avenue, Sterling, KS 67579. Visitation will be from 9:30-10:30 A.M., Friday, November 8, 2024, at Birzer Funeral Home, 203 N. 7th Street, Sterling, KS 67579, with family present. Memorials may be given to the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 7418 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, in care of Birzer Funeral Home.

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