Dale Swartzendruber

DALE SWARTZENDRUBER

Kalona

Dr. Dale Swartzendruber died Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014, at Pleasantview Home in Kalona at the age of 89 years.

Dale was born July 6, 1925, near Parnell, Iowa, the son of Urie and Norma (Kinsinger) Swartzen-druber. He earned his high school diploma by taking correspondence courses through the American School. From 1945 to 1946, he served in Civilian Public Service (CPS) in Montana and Nebraska. He attended Goshen College and later transferred to Iowa State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in soils and master's degree and Ph.D. in soil physics. He married Kathleen Jeanette Yoder on June 26, 1949, at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church. Kathleen passed away Nov. 8, 2012.

From 1953 to 1954, Dale taught at Goshen College, and from 1955 to 1956, was on the staff at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1956, he joined Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., as professor of soils. In 1977, he moved to the University of Nebraska, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture in Lincoln, and retired in 1998 as professor emeritus. Dale was visiting professor and scientist at Ames, Iowa, Riverside, Calif., Atlanta, Ga., Tel Aviv, Israel, Cambridge, England, and Canberra, Australia.

He was a member of the Soil Science Society of America, American Geophysical Union, and authored over 85 publications throughout the course of his career.

Church was an integral part of Dale's life; he taught Sunday school, sang in numerous church choirs and actively served in leadership roles. He was a member of Beth-El Mennonite Church in Milford, Neb. When he and Kathleen moved to Kalona in 2008, they attended Kalona Mennonite Church.

He is survived by four children, Karl (Lynn) Swartzendruber of Plano, Texas, Myra (Patrick) Tierney of Lakewood, Colo., John (Evonne) Swartzendruber of Indianapolis and David (Kay) Swartzendruber of Lakewood, Colo.; five granddaughters; two grandsons; one great-grandson; and a sister Fern Eash of Wellman.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Kathleen; two sisters, Audrey Hochstetler and Mary Lois Swartzendruber; and a granddaughter, Sara Kay Swartzendruber.

Celebration of Life services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Kalona Mennonite Church, with the Rev. Scott Swartzendruber officiating. Burial will be in Lower Deer Creek Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Yoder-Powell Funeral Home in Kalona.

A memorial fund has been established for Compassion International.

Messages may be sent to the family at www.powell funeralhomes.com.