H. Carl Swiney

Rev. H. Carl Swiney, 83, passed away Friday, July 29, 2011. He was born on July 29, 1928, in Gladden, Missouri, to Harry M. and Gladys Swiney. What a blessed birthday gift to celebrate in the presence of God! Carl and Beulah Brim were united in marriage on October 2, 1949. They were blessed with three children. He attended high school in Eminence, Missouri, and college at Southwest Missouri State Teacher's College, now known as Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri. He moved to Hartshorn, Missouri, to teach at Black Valley School where he met his wife. Carl made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ in 1950 and later surrendered to the call to preach God's word. He pastored many Baptist Churches across the state of Missouri, including Valley Center Baptist Church, Hartshorn; Elk Creek Baptist Church, Cabool; Roby Baptist Church; Eunice Baptist Church; Candock Baptist Church, Lebanon; Bethlehem Baptist Church, Centralia; Southside Baptist Church, Fulton; First Baptist Church, Vandalia; and most recently First Baptist, Willard until his retirement in 1990. Even then he continued in the ministry serving as interim pastor at First Baptist Church, Marshfield; and later at First Baptist Church, Aurora. He was instrumental in carrying out building programs in several of the churches in which he served. Upon his retirement, Carl took up the hobby of wood carving and became an accomplished wood carver, working at both Silver Dollar City and Engler's Wood Block in Branson, Missouri. He received many hours of quiet satisfaction sitting at his carving bench or in a chair in front of the fireplace. He also enjoyed gardening and visiting with friends and neighbors. He always found a way to share God's love and grace to people he came in contact with. Even when ill and in the hospital these last few years and months, he became acquainted with his roommates each time and found a way to steer the conversation to their relationship with the Lord and share God's love with them. He was a kind and loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. Carl is survived by his wife, Beulah, of 62 years of the Baptist Home, Ozark, Missouri; his daughter, Joyce and her husband Larry of Springfield; his son, Doyle and his wife Phyllis,of Fulton; and son, Lindel of Springfield; two brothers, Roger Swiney and his wife Jean of Seattle, Washington, and Gerald Swiney of Willard; four grandchildren, Melanie Steward, Kyle Mays, Katie and Bethanie Swiney; four great-grandchildren, Keylie, Tenlie, and Braylie Steward and Kason Kivett-Mays. He will also be missed by a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry M. and Gladys Swiney Barrett, and a brother, Harold. Burial was at Antioch Cemetery in Hartshorn, Missouri, on Monday afternoon, August 1, 2011.