Harold Swangel

Harold Leslie Swangel (77) was welcomed into the arms of Jesus after a courageous battle with cancer at his home under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice, surrounded by family on Wednesday, October 21, 2020.

Public visitation for Harold will be at Abels & French-Hand Funeral Home in Reinbeck, IA from 5-7 on Saturday, October 24th. Funeral services will be held at Cedarloo Church of Christ in Cedar Falls, IA at 3 pm on Sunday, October 25th with private family burial to follow at a later date.  Memorial contributions may be directed in Harold’s name to his family, which will be later designated elsewhere.  For further information or to send a condolence please visit www.abelsfuneralhomes.com.

Harold was born on January 5th, 1943 in Agency, Iowa to William Ralph and Arlene Lenox Swangel. He grew up farming with his family in southern Iowa before moving to California for his teen years, and then moving back to Iowa to a farm near Gladbrook.

On January 22, 1965 he was married to Joyce Knaack and they farmed together near Tama, then Rhodes, New Providence, and Reinbeck, before moving to the Knaack family farm near Gladbrook where they had their dairy farm and raised four children.  In 1994, they moved to Boles Children’s home in Texas where he served as a housefather for seven years. Later, he also served at Southern Children’s Home in Arkansas and Tennessee Children’s Home. In 2004, he returned to Gladbrook to help care for his Mother-in-Law and he also worked at a half-way house in Marshalltown.

He appreciated hard work, playing Pepper with his family (win or lose), singing in church, and reading God’s word.

Harold is lovingly remembered by his wife of 55 years, Joyce, 3 daughters: Amy (Michael) Anderson of Corbin, KY; Annette (Jim) McFarland of Orient, OH; and Audra (Everett) Siddell of Gladbrook, IA and one son, David (Heidi) Swangel of Seviervile, TN. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren: Alethea (James) Goodpasture, Aric and Adam Anderson; Hannah, Noah, and Esther McFarland; Connor (Heather) Young and Drake Young, Hannah, Kelsy, & Trevor Siddell; Maxwell and Abigail Swangel, and 2 great grand-daughters: Fionna Hines and Hadley Grace Young; one sister, Shirley Tuttle of Wellsburg and one brother, Jarold (Karen) Swangel of Sioux Falls, SD; as well as several aunts, an uncle, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Preceding him in death were his mother, father, and 1 sister JoAnn Fuller of Marshalltown, IA.

Harold leaves behind a legacy of love for the Lord, his family, and an example of service to others. His hope is that he followed God’s map and left footprints for others to follow.