‘Amazing servant of God:’ Devoted member killed when church’s roof collapses during storms

ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) - A long-time and beloved member of a church in Missouri was killed when the church’s roof collapsed during Friday’s storms.

Patricia Penelton was inside the Centennial Christian Church in north St. Louis, seeking shelter during the storms, when the building took a direct hit. The roof collapsed, trapping people inside, and the towering steeple fell onto the front lawn in a heap of rubble.

First responders rushed to the scene following the collapse and worked to rescue those trapped inside the building. Patricia Penelton was killed in the collapse and two other people were injured. They were taken to the hospital and their conditions have not yet been released.

Patricia Penelton’s husband, Harry Penelton, told KMOV that the couple was just two months away from celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary. He declined to speak on camera but shared that she was deeply involved in church activities

“She did everything at church but sleep there,” he said.

Patricia Penelton was at the church Friday morning to help serve lunch to those in need, according to her husband. She arrived around 11 a.m., just hours before the storm struck.

Reverend Derrick Perkins, who spoke on behalf of the Penelton family, ed her as “an amazing servant of God and this church.”

“Right now, we are just sad. Our hearts are broken about all of this,” Perkins said.

Ward 10 Alderwoman Shameem Clark-Hubbard, a fellow church member, described Penelton’s kindness and humility.

“She was one of the first people I met in service here,” Clark-Hubbard said. “She gave selflessly. It wasn’t about, ‘Look at me, I’m doing this.’ Everything she did, you could tell, was from her heart.”

The collapse marks not only the loss of a cherished community member but also the destruction of a historic building. Centennial Christian Church had stood at the corner of Aubert and Fountain avenues for more than 121 years.

“This community always rises together,” Perkins said. “And the church is a critical piece of this community.”

While it remains unclear how long the cleanup and rebuilding process will take, Perkins said the church will continue in some form, no matter what.

“The way that they give is immeasurable, and her as a leader in that service and giving is an immeasurable loss,” Clark-Hubbard said.

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