Mark Swartzendruber

Celebration of Life Service Friday, April 17 2:00 pm Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church 1408 540thSt SW, Kalona Visitation: Thursday 2-8 family present 2-4 and 6-8 Friday till 11:30 AM all at Peterseim Funeral Home Burial: Lower Deer Creek Cemetery Mark P. Swartzendruber(87) was born in Johnson County, Iowa, the son of Peter and Lydia (Swartzendruber) Swarzendruber. He graduated from Wellman High School in 1941. Mark attended Normal School Training at Iowa State Teacher's College, Cedar Falls, IA, and taught at Pacific School #8 near Wellman for one and a half years. Mark served in Civilian Public Service in Idaho and Michigan from 1942 a�" 1946. After his return to this area, he was employed at Yoder Feeds where he worked for 45 years. Mark was united in marriage with Doris Marner at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church on June 1, 1947. The couple lived in this area all their married life. Mark was a life long member of Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church where he served as treasurer for many years. Mark and Doris were the first sponsors of Mennonite Youth Fellowship at Lower Deer Creek. Mark also served as a Sunday School teacher and superintendent. Mark was area coordinator for Mennonite Disaster Service for 30 years, and also served on the board of Iowa Mennonite School and Pleasantview Home. He volunteered in the Chaplaincy program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and was a member of the Kalona Optimist Club for 30 years. At Kalona Historical Village he guided bus tours for a number of years and was a member of the 8:30 Parlor Coffee Club. Mark also wrote a column of local news in the Kalona News for over ten years. Mark enjoyed meeting people, going to coffee with friends and neighbors, and "fishing" with anyone he met. Mark is survived by his wife, Doris of Kalona, son Linwood (Woody) and wife Karen Swartzendruber of Ankeny, IA, and daughter, Mary Lou and husband Roger Farmer of Washington, IA. Also surviving are grandchildren Kenna and husband Dan Fultz of Bluffton, Ohio, and Kara and husband Jamison Prickett of Iowa City; great grandchildren Esther, Naomi, Hannah, and Talitha Fultz; a brother John and wife Anita Swartzendruber of Wayland, and a sister Faith and husband Jim Carpenter of Sturgis, MI. Lois Swartzendruber of Wellman is a surviving sister-in-law. Mark was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Wilbur Swartzendruber. A memorial in Mark's honor has been established for Crooked Creek Christian Camp. Your love, prayers, and sympathy are greatly appreciated by the entire family.