11/26/2015
Carroll Dale DeZwarte was born May 29, 1924, the son of Arthur and Nellie Gertrude (Jones) DeZwarte. His sibblings were Lorene (John Acklin), Burdette (Evelyn Amos), Kenneth (Marilyn Backus).
He grew up on a farm northeast of Knoxville and attended elementary school followed by attendance at Knoxville High School. During his high school days, Pearl Harbor was attacked and the United States became involved in World War II. Carroll decided that he should do his patriotic duty and join the military. After the war ended he was honorably discharged in March of 1946 and returned home.
Not long after that his younger brother invited him to attend Bible study with him. He learned more about the Bible and was convicted and convinced that he should become a son of God. Soon after he met the love of his life, Naomi Jean Allen. They were married on June 30, 1947, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa, and December 7, 1948, Martha Eileen was born.
Carroll attended Kletzing College in University Park, Iowa before transferring to Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he received his bachelors degree. He went further into studies and attended the Seminary there.
Note: at the time the president of the college was a gentleman by the name of William Graham who also was starting an evangelistic crusade, you may recognize him better as Billy Graham.
During the final part of his schooling, Steven Dale, was born May 27, 1951.
After graduation, Carroll moved his family to Zap, North Dakota to teach at the high school in that town. They moved back to the Knoxville area. On May 6, 1955, a second son, James Alan was born.
Later Carroll worked in various occupations including time at the Ford Implement factory in east Des Moines, Iowa in several positions, most notably as an inspector. He also was a tree trimmer, worked for Social Services in Monroe County, Iowa, at the VA Hospital and the US Postal Service in Knoxville. Probably the most important part of his work history is that he served as a pastor of several churches, Melcher-Dallas, Iowa, country churches Eldorado and Oakdale in rural Monroe County, Lovilia, Iowa and various other churches including Corydon, Iowa where he helped plant a church and preached for quite a while.
This was all in addition to the “paying” jobs mentioned before. He had always been active in church participation, where he and his family belonged, as a Sunday school teacher, Bible Study Leader and in other Christian services.
His main focus for much of his Christian duty was helping out programs for missions, both at home and abroad.
Martha and George Rankin of Orange City, Iowa were married in 1967, and have two children and seven grandchildren:
Eric David Rankin and his wife Lora (Vermeer) and their children: Elizabeth, William and Kohen,
Kara (Rankin) and her husband Jeffrey Van Der Werff and their children: Jakob, Kathryn, Ian and Elin,
Steven and Kathy (Gosselink) DeZwarte of Pella, Iowa were married in 1973, and have two children and one grandchild:
Christopher DeZwarte and his wife Jana (Harvey)
Nathan DeZwarte and his wife Lacey (Pender) and their child, Harlow, James Alan DeZwarte who died on August 10, 1973 at the age of 18 years.
Carroll leaves his wife for 68 years, Naomi, their daughter and her family, a son and his family; his sister-in-law Marilyn (Kenneth) De Zwarte, his brother-in-law Howard Allen and his wife, Jeanette, and his sister-in-law Eneatha (Allen) and her husband, Ernest Rankin all of Knoxville; along with many other family members, loved ones and friends.
He was preceded in death by his son, James Alan De Zwarte; his father and mother, Arthur and Gertrude De Zwarte; his sister, Lorene and her husband, John Acklin; his brother, Burdette De Zwarte and his wife, Evelyn and his brother Kenneth De Zwarte; along with his parents-in-law, J. Howry and Irene (Ross) Allen.
On September 26, 2015, at the age of 91 years, God decided that Carroll should finish his time on this Earthly portal and join the Heavenly Host, meeting past friends and family members that have preceded him and getting ready for others to join him at their appointed time. We know Carroll would like to have any and all of you join him in Glory.