Harold "Harry" Van Zuiden

Harold "Harry" Van Zuiden, age 73, of Carroll passed away on Monday, January 19, 2015 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. His family was at his side. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, February 14, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church in Carroll, with Rev. Dennis Bailey officiating. Organist will be Mary Ross. A visitation will be held at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral home in Carroll from 5-7 on Friday February 13th. Harry INSISTED that the family wait until his oldest granddaughter and family return from Geneva Switzerland to have services! Funeral Arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral home in Carroll. Online condolences may be left at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Harry’s name to award an annual scholarship to a student attending an electrical trade school to become an electrician. Memorials may be left at the funeral home or at the church. Born on June 22, 1941 in Morrison Illinois, he was the son of William and Anna (Van Zuiden) Van Zuiden. Harry grew up in Morrison Illinois and attended Morrison Schools until the untimely death of his father. Harry put his education on hold to help his mother with the farm. He then worked for Yarbrough Electric & Appliance where he learned his talent as a electrician and also did appliance repair. While working for Yarbrough he climbed electrical poles and ran electrical services for the vendors and rides at the Whiteside County Fair. He was married to Janice (Sissy) Holland on December 27, 1963 at the Ebenezer Reform Church in Morrison Illinois. In 1972 Harry and Sissy moved to Carroll where he was employed by General Electric. At this time he finished his high school degree and worked in the maintenance department. He later became a maintenance supervisor and continued in that position until his retirement when the plant closed. He loved to repair the machines on the plant floor and took every opportunity he could to give the operators of those machines a hard time or play a little practical joke. In his retirement he continued as an electrician and general handyman. He had an amazing talent to spot an electrical problem and fix it in no time. He loved to teach anyone who wanted to know about electricity the skill. When his brother was injured in a farm accident, Harry made trips back in the spring and fall to help his brother with his farm. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Carroll. Harry enjoyed spending time with his three granddaughters, golfing with his buddies, fishing trips to Canada, and getting called to the country to help farm. He loved to take his “grand dog” Nick for rides in his Explorer where Nick would ride shotgun in the front seat next to Harry. Harry is survived by his wife of 51 years, “Sissy” (Janice Holland) of Carroll; a son Bill and his wife Tara of Carroll; three granddaughters; Kirsten, Meredith, and Elizabeth Van Zuiden; a sister Carol Kuebler and her husband Dave of West Lafayette Indiana; a sister-in-law Leta Van Zuiden of Morrison, Illinois and several nieces and nephews including Keith and Kristopher Holland who lived with Harry and Sissy for several years while their father served in the Air Force. Harry was like a father to them for those years. Harry was preceded in death by his parents; William and Anna; father and mother-in-law; John and Lucille Holland; a brother Merwyn; a brother-in-law Jim Holland his wife Barbara; and a niece Karla.