Monday, September 6, 2021

Ken Zwart, My Dad passes on

  

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, Kenneth Edwin Zwart who on August 30, 2021 was called to rest, after a brief struggle with cancer. Son of the late Richard and Freda Zwart, was born on July 17th, 1943. He was the loving husband of Carol Edmonds Zwart for 56 years. He is survived by three sons, Keith, Kevin and Tuan. Keith and Cindy’s family consists of their three children, Stephen, David and Nathan.  Kevin and Cami’s consists of their three children, Toby, Charlie and deceased daughter Tabitha. Tuan Duong's family is his five children, Hailey, Abbey, Olivia, Evan and Kennedy who were preceded in death by their mother Heather.  


 

He is also survived by his 4 siblings, Donald (Jackie) Zwart, Ronald (Diane) Zwart, Betty (Cliff) Rose, and Joan (Chris) Vandermeulen. There are ten nieces and nephews and another dozen great nephews and nieces.  


 

He attended Pine Bush Central High, after which he joined the Army.  After his time in the military, he worked various jobs; including in a hardware store, and Prudential Insurance. He found his career with The Hartford Insurance Group.  They brought him and his family to Bakerville, Connecticut, where he was blessed to work and retired after 35 years.   

 

 

Since coming to Christ in the 50’s at Word of Life Camp, his gentle ministry has been evident, wherever God placed him.  After many years in Circleville and as a member of the Scotchtown Presbyterian Church, the family moved to Connecticut, where his deep faith was evident to all, seen in countless years as a member of Bakerville Methodist Church, or Tres Dias and Aventura retreat weekends or church mission trips.  These trips resulted in an opportunity for him and his wife to serve at The Fold ministry to troubled kids for six years in Vermont once he’d retired from the insurance business.  This also gave him time to visit friends in ministry all over the world, be it England or his son and family in Mozambique and Namibia.   

 

 

Ken made the most of his retirement and his life.  He shared the heart of Christ with anyone he met, and he spoke kindly to strangers at restaurants, auto parts stores, and other places around town.  Besides being amiable and fond of a good joke, he spent every spare moment tinkering, on anything ,whether carpentry, masonry, plumbing, restoring antiques, working on cars - it didn’t matter if he’d done it before, he’d give it a shot.  He was helpful to anyone who needed practical help and always had a project going (with a hefty supply of first aid). That confidence and willingness to try, and sometimes fail was an important talent that allowed God to use him in so many different ways to bless all those who knew him. Ken’s quiet, servants heart will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

 

Ken's humble life and deep love for others leaves us grieving the loss of his presence but so very thankful for his time with us, care for us and love for our lives. He suffers no more and rests with his Savior.

 

A memorial service will be held this Saturday, 1 September 2021 at 1:00 pm at Bakerville United Methodist Church in New Hartford, Connecticut.


Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Updates

 Been blessed to work remotely for FIS, which is based in Milwaukee, Wi. Started last January - and gor renewed recently through the end of July 2021...  


Steve has graduated from the ARC program, become a HS Math Teacher in town, he moved back into his own place, not to far away. 

Dave is going to re-kickstart his college career in the new year, at STCC....

Nate is thriving at Wagner - when the pandemic allows....

Josh is still with us as well, we're at almost 18 months. Still learning study habits, and accountability.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Looking again

After 6 mostly good years, I'm looking for a new opportunity. Still a Tandem (HP Nonstop) Developer, looking to work at least partially remotely.

Nate is at Wagner U. on Staten Island, Dave is at WCSU in Danbury, Steve is doing the ARC program to get a Math Teaching Cert. and Cindy has started a Masters program (in addition to adding Theatrical Producer to her resume).

But me? Who knows....

Friday, February 5, 2016

Task list

Household stuff:
1) Find brake part for Mazda
2) Build workbench where oil tank used to be.
3) Put up rest of insulation in attic.
4) Wash kitchen floor.
5) Hang pictures in Cindy's office
6) Taxes
7) FAFSA

Scout Stuff:
1) STEM day 2/6/16
2) Pay for Hockey game
3) Note to invite AOLs to Troop 1
4) Unit Awards (2/15/16)
5) District Awards (2/15/16)
6) Cover Wagon Derby - Update events and Patches
7) Spring Camporee?
8) Canoe Trip reservations


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Ocean City...2015

List of options,,,

Frisbee Golf (don't seem too close)?
   http://www.njdiscgolf.com/

Mini Golf?

Restaurants:
Yelp was not as helpful as Google Maps...

http://www.mikesseafood.com/ordereze/Content/PageDetails.aspx?PageID=12

http://www.deauvilleinn.com/

http://www.tuckahoeinn.com/


Monday, June 1, 2015

Other Marriage thoughts.

Wedding Fortnight thoughts...Simple. When you're sorry - say you're sorry. Mean it, let it go, and don't dig it up later. Like lying - resentment requires too much brain power and memory, those who live in truth and forgiveness are so much freer - they have space in there heads to remember things like "Scooby Doo villains" and pokemon evolution stuff...
And when someone asks for forgiveness - think about the commitment of it for you, as well. Grace has a cost, even for little old us. When they ask for this event or disagreement to be washed away, and you can, then let that go as well. The hurt doesn't vanish, but it will fade, if you both grow past it.
Actual forgiveness takes work. Often it's "Death to pride" on one side, and putting down your "hammer of righteousness" on the other.


Imminent Wedding Thoughts (2 Weeks and a day). One of the most important and useful skill in marriage is not found in the Kama Sutra, it's this: Active Listening, rather than waiting for your turn to speak. We waste more time begging to be heard, repeating the same point over and over, we stand a wave our flag and we insist on validation and that we're making "points". What is your partner actually asking? Is there really a disagreement at all?
We all want, we need to be right - but in fact, we spend an immense amount of time looking for "our tribe" for people like us. Well you've found one, you've made a tribe - they chose you - you're on the same team. Now, you need to be sure that you support and validate each other. There is an immense amount of common ground, if you look around.
And the final important part of this "Active listening" is to be sure you're speaking about the same things...Stop and think, "Where did this discussion start?" and "Have we addressed that?" If you have addressed the issue, can you short circuit the navel gazing, and old disagreements that are fruitless... The last part can be really hard, as hard as patiently actually listening.

Impending Wedding thought (16 to go) - Read "The five love Languages" whether you are a person of faith or not. Spend some time figuring out which acts of Love resonate with your spouse. Don't waste years buying or making small gifts, when your beloved is so in tune with, and appreciative of, your words of support and affection. 
(You're a guy, and it's sort of a manual - read/skim it)

Impending Wedding Thought of the day (17 to go). How many times have I told my kids that "Fair is for the weak" - Be merciful, be just, be gracious, do the right thing...Be the better man. Self interest never inspires, but those other choices just might.

Thought of the day (18 to go) - We shouldn't get married for a feeling, but with a promise. As time goes by, we may not feel like putting someone else first, but emotions aside, it's a matter of will. I promised, forever. My God and I will be stronger than my selfishness, my laziness and my pride.

Thought of the day (19 more) - You are not promised or doomed to the marriages you grew up watching. Your promises are creating something completely new and special. No one else has ever been in the family you're building - it's brand new, and special.
 — feeling optimistic.


Marriage Thoughts...

Wedding eve...It's this simple - it's a promise...That's what makes this work, your word, and commitment. That's why we use a pyramid, with God as one side of this equation. His word is good.
So - how good is your word? This is a forever, whether I feel like it or not promise...Not just a feeling. This is the person who can shut off your life support - are you going to go nuts when they get the wrong toilet paper?
And - now they are a part of us. When their car breaks late at night, or they're locked out of the house, they call family...That's us. For all of the most important events in their lives, from now until forever - they're a part of us.
Let's get rehearsing!

Single Digits! Wedding in 9 days!
It's become apparent that I've dropped the ball and made a significant gap in your upbringing. I know I grew up seeing my maternal family more than the paternal, and I figured: a) it's a girl thing, and b) the Zwart side was younger and bigger - and 3) we were gone by the time I was 10.
Doesn't matter - I had you guys - and we never got to know my Dad's family. This isn't about guilting anyone into anything, and certainly not blaming anyone for anything. I love the relationship you have with my parents, and with Cindy's...
Want an example of inclusion and effort to see family, look a bit to Linda - don't you want a home that draws the family together? People don't come to Linda and Pete's just because they have a pool - but because she's been a rock in Jimmy's life, and makes Kelly, Todd and all of us so welcome.
So make time with both sides, they'll be gone before you know it, and most importantly do things that build memories. Be there when they're in pain and when they celebrate. And if you mess up, show up the next time anyway, they're family, we have keys.

Dozen nights until I stop saying brideGOON...Touching is a good idea. You're young, so if you could drive with her sitting on your lap, you would (but you can't). But that fades...I'm not saying stand up and kiss whenever one of you enters the room - but when the spouse walks in, hit mute, or pause, or remove the headphones (without rolling you eyes) it reminds you both of the priorities. Holding hands in public, or touching a shoulder as you pass, reminds you that you have a special deal.
It also shows the world that this one chose me! And I chose her! And I'm proud be seen together - and we're partners, equals - I'm not charging thru with her 4 paces behind, and not grumpily stumbling behind her staring my phone.
And I dare you to leave your phone face down on the table while you eat. When my parents were young there were few phones - but they wouldn't get up from the table or from company to answer a phone "they'll call back" and it values the "present of the Present" -- We do get up and answer the house phone (because in this day and age, only Cindy's friends and family call it)...But often say "we'll call you back"... Do the math - what are the odds that the person who called during dinner is more important than those you're with right then?

Wedding Thoughts - 13 to go...Ever see this video? Cindy doesn't think it's funny. Trust me neither does the guy in the video...But it's part of that team, that family - Meeting your partner where they are (killing the spiders, checking out the noises) and sometimes NOT fixing the thing...And that is hard as well.
"Don't try to fix it. I just need you to listen." Every man has heard these words. And they are the law of the land. No matter what.