Retired Covenant missionary G. Marlan Enns passed away in Spring Valley, California, on March 5, 2025. He was 104.
George Marlan Enns was born February 21, 1921, in Reedley, California. He grew up in a Mennonite Brethren church and experienced conversion to Christian faith at age eleven. During his growing up years, he also attended Covenant churches in Oakland and Kingsburg.
After graduating from high school, Marlan attended Reedley College, earning an associate’s degree in accounting in 1941. After spending a year attending Wheaton College in Illinois, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1944.
On June 16, 1945, he married Fern C. Anderson in Kingsburg, California. Through their union they were blessed with four children: William Alan, Marlene Joanne, Jannette Pauline, and Richard Marlan.
Marlan also attended Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and North Park Theological Seminary, earning his seminary degree in 1948. That same year he was ordained by the Evangelical Covenant Church. He later pursued continuing educational opportunities in hospital administration at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and missiology at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Marlan helped to establish the Covenant’s missional presence in Quito, Ecuador, and along with Fern and their children, served with Covenant World Missions (now Serve Globally) from January of 1949 until October 1965. Together they helped to plant Iglesia Betel in Ibarra and Iglesia El Salvador in Quito.
After they returned to the United States, Marlan transitioned to serving as an administrator at the Covenant Village at Mt. Miguel, from November 1965 to July 1973. He spent another decade or so directing mission work in Mexico City before retiring in 1986.
Marlan and Fern were married for sixty years before she passed away in July 2005 at 82.
In 2006 Marlan married Sue Hendricksen, and they built a life together until her passing in 2013 at 88.
Even late in life, Marlan remained as active in ministry. At 96, he traveled back to Ecuador to preach at both the churches he helped to plant and even led devotions at the Covenant’s Quito headquarters. “Quite impressive for a 94-year-old,” said global personnel Joel and Kim Delp, about Marlan’s visit. “It was a pleasure and a tremendous honor for us to be able to spend this time with Marlan and learn from him and hear the countless stories of missionary work.”
Marlan was preceded in death by Fern and Sue, and is survived by his children and other loved ones.
Peace be to his memory.
