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.