Daniel Scott Gellenbeck

Link to the Funeral Service Livestream:

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Daniel Scott Gellenbeck was born September 25, 1963, to the late Harry Dempsey & Vera Mae Gibson Gellenbeck, in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and was the sixth of eight children.

God spared Dan’s life several times as a child. At age 5 he became very ill with pneumonia. After Harry called several others for prayer, Dan was down on the floor playing within half an hour. Another time when Dan and his brothers were playing outside, he fell into the chassis of an old car, cutting his belly open. His brothers rushed him next door to Grandma’s house. Her remedy was to tape his belly closed with a multitude of band aids.

Once, when Harry and Vera were going out for the evening, they told the children not to cut the watermelon while they were gone, so Dan pushed it off the table instead. They decided to remedy the sticky mess by pouring a bucket of soapy water onto the kitchen floor.

Dan and his brothers would sometimes play crab-soccer in their large bedroom against their parents’ rules. Because of this it was rare for all the windows to be intact at the same time.

Harry was a carpenter and built and trimmed houses for a living. He trained his sons in this occupation, starting when they were very small. Teaching his children the values of integrity in business and a strong work ethic were very important to him. Dan built his first set of cabinets at age ten. After discovering that one of the cabinets was built backwards, his dad made him tear the cabinet apart and rebuild it. Harry would take his boys with him to work, many times coming to school to get them, having worked out a bargain with the teacher beforehand. As he neared his high school years, woodworking became priority, ahead of academics. Another priority became his love for gospel work, which began developing in him after God saved him at around age 14. He didn’t feel called to preach, but helping in the gospel work, establishing new congregations, building chapel buildings, and assisting the ministers and evangelists, became his life mission. A young lady, Angela Busbee, who became his special friend, shared this interest and mission. They had many serious conversations about working for God. Their relationship became a special bond as they shared this mutual life goal. Dan put his plans for graduation secondary to the gospel work he felt called to do. At age 16, he quit school and moved to Canada for several months, donating his labor to build a house. As Angela felt God calling her to share the Word with others, Dan joined her burden and together, they prayed and put their energies into working for God. After their marriage in 1984, the birth of their son, Joseph, in 1988, and their daughter, Valerie, in 1990, they received a call from the Lord to leave Guthrie, Oklahoma in 1992 and move to central Kentucky to assist the fledgling congregation there. During this time Dan began to have health problems. Their faith was tested and tried many times. As they learned how to trust God more fully, God gave Dan a special way to make a living. He and his brother, Phillip, established a business together installing store fixtures. They built a successful company, Gellenbeck Installation, Incorporated, using the skills of many sub-contractors who traveled the nation installing store fixtures in shopping malls and car dealerships. Their company became known for its integrity and high level of quality construction. Their work also took in construction and installation of store fixtures in Mardel Christian Bookstore, a sister company to Hobby Lobby. Dan and his sons also built and installed custom cabinets.

Dan still carried God’s work on his heart. With the support of his wife, he assisted in the construction of new chapel buildings and disaster relief efforts. He was very concerned about the salvation of his children and prayed many prayers for them as they were growing up. In 2000 God blessed Dan and Angela with another son, Darren. Dan trained his children in construction, setting before them high ideals of honesty and hard work. He was highly interested in his children not only living for God, but establishing good, solid, Christian homes. He endeavored to live a high standard of godliness at home and was an example of love and faithfulness to his wife. He especially prayed for his children to find spouses who were Christians. He counseled them to endeavor to be sources of encouragement to each other. God answered those earnest prayers and directed the steps of his children in marriage.

In addition to his own children, Dan had a ministry of helping other young men become established in a trade. He successfully trained several men in woodworking. His vision of Christian marriage expanded as well, and many men asked Dan to be a mentor to them. As his disease progressed and he became handicapped by poor vision and apparent dementia, he was not able to work and counsel as before, but his concern and burden for young men never waned. Although he faced many temptations from the world, by the grace of God he fought a good fight and gained many victories.

Dan passed away peacefully Thursday, August 22, 2024, at his home surrounded by his loved ones. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Paul, Phillip, and John.

Dan is survived by his wife Angela of 39 years, three children, Joseph Gellenbeck and wife Andrea of Gravel Switch, Kentucky, Valerie Eck and husband Trisdan of Bartlett, Kansas, and Darren Gellenbeck and wife Tiffany of Gravel Switch, Kentucky; 11 grandchildren: Daniel, Jenny, Elsie, Isaac, Mandy, David, Dustin, Ellie, Meg, Nathan, and Kenneth; two brothers, Mark Gellenbeck and wife Liz of Newalla, Oklahoma, Steve Gellenbeck and wife Margie of Crescent, Oklahoma; two sisters, Jeannine Miles and husband Lonnie of Guthrie, Oklahoma, and Carla Delano and husband Bill of Crescent, Oklahoma; and many nephews, nieces, and other extended family members and friends who mourn his passing. 

A public visitation will be held 5-8PM Thursday, August 29, 2024, at First Baptist Church Danville, 1570 North Danville Bypass, Danville, KY 40422.

A public funeral service will be held 10:00AM Friday, August 30, 2024, at the church.  Bro. Ed Wilson & Bro. Curtis Williams will officiate the service. 

Burial will follow in Danville Memorial Gardens.  Dan’s sons, son-in-law, and grandsons will serve as Active Pallbearers.  Dan’s brothers, brothers-in-law, nephews, Randy Brown, Tracy Anderson, Tom Simmonds, and Alan Forbes, and all past associates of GII will serve as Honorary Pallbearers. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Africa Mission & Beyond, P.O. Box 2042, Nixa, MO 65714.

Fox & Friend Funeral Home, Stanford, Kentucky, is entrusted with Dan’s arrangements.  Guest Book at www.friendfuneralhomes.com.

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