Carl Christian Seest, 93, passed away August 8, 2020 at home with family by his side. He was born on a farm in Phelps County, near Newburg, Missouri on June 1, 1927, to James and Ethel Hannah Catherine (Gottschall) Seest. On December 27, 1952, he married Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Salerni at the Rossville, IN United Methodist Church.
In 1940 (age 12), his family moved to a farm near Mulberry, Indiana. He showed cattle and displayed tomatoes at the 4-H fair and graduated from Rossville High School in 1945. He graduated from the Purdue Agriculture Short Course in 1949.
He met his future wife Beth at the Methodist Church camp in Battle Ground, Indiana. He was there to pick up belongings from his sister, who was also there attending. It was announced over the loudspeaker that someone (Beth) needed a ride to Lafayette to catch her bus back home to Ball State University in Muncie, where she was a student. True to form, Carl volunteered for the job. On the way to Lafayette in his 1947 Ford Club Coupe, they stopped at the Frozen Custard and got to talking. They lost track of time and she missed the bus. Carl ended up driving her all the way back home.
On his wedding day, he outsmarted his friends by purchasing a new car and having it delivered during the service. Their friends, who were looking to decorate their known car, searched in vain. Carl and his bride left the church in his new vehicle to the astonishment of their friends. The friends chased after the bride and groom, but the happy couple made their getaway after their friends were pulled over by a police officer. A later WLS radio program and newspaper article talked about his ingenuity.
In 1953, Carl was elected president of the Indiana Rural Youth, having been elected as vice president the year before. He was the first person to hold both the Indiana Rural Youth presidency and Chairman of the Midwest Region Rural Youth at the same time. Before social media, the rural youth organization was a major method for youth to connect. He and Beth felt blessed to meet many wonderful people and continue lifelong friendships from those organizations.
One year his family planted a field of tomatoes on the farm where he worked with his father, mother, and sister. Carl picked 108 hampers of tomatoes in one day. His family paid him $.10 a hamper, which was good money in those days. Carl’s and Beth’s acumen allowed the farm to grow into a large business. They grew corn, wheat, soybeans, rye, and hay, and Carl became known as the “Hay Man” to many people.
With a natural connection to animals, Carl loved his many dogs, cats, ducks, goats, ferrets, and orphaned raccoon. He raised beef cattle and sheep and was one of the first farmers to create a large hog farrowing operation, which was one of the largest in the state of Indiana at the time with over 6,000 hogs. He bred for large litter sizes and that line was studied by Purdue for many years.
Carl was also known for his community spirit and leadership. In 1973, he and Beth were charter members of the Rossville Volunteer Ambulance Service (RVAS). After funds were slated to locate ambulance services out of the area, he organized the community to start their own ambulance service and rallied to keep it centrally located for Rossville area residents. The Rossville community worked together to create and run the RVAS which was the first volunteer ambulance service to be certified by the Indiana Emergency Medical Services Commission. Both Carl and Beth became EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technicians) in 1974 and continued that service for 26 years in Rossville and 10 years in Mulberry. Eighty-four EMT’s were trained in the first two EMT classes held in Rossville in 1974. The Ambulance Service continues to serve the Rossville community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Carl and Beth also cared for Milner Healthcare residents by operating the Healthcare Shuttle for 10 years.
Carl was a member of the Rossville United Methodist Church where he served on various boards and sang in the choir. He was a member and past President of both the Rossville Lions and Kiwanis, and a 71 year member of the Rossville Masonic Lodge #318, Rossville Chapter Order of Eastern Star, a Chairman of the Clinton County Farm Bureau, Clinton County Pork Producers, and a member and Chairman of the Clinton County Democrat Committee. He helped to restart Boy Scout Troop 337 and was on Rossville Cub Scout and Boy Scout committees for 15 years. He served as vice-president of the original founding chapter of the Rossville FFA in 1944.
Elected as the Ross Township Trustee for 24 years, he and Beth were committed to running an office that valued honesty, hard work, and fiscal budgeting responsibility for community funds. Their actions continually demonstrated to state government how a local township office and serving official benefits the local community.
We remember Carl, our husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend as a man always there to help anyone and a community in need. Also, for his love for family, fun-loving pranks, mischievous grin, and his most recent favorite joke… “What is the difference between a hippo and a zippo?” that always brought a smile to his face.
Carl is survived by his wife Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Seest, four children, five grandchildren and a multitude of loving relatives and friends. His children and grandchildren in Mulberry, Indiana are Mark Seest and wife Gail, granddaughters Victoria, Emmeline, and Madilyn; John Seest in Indianapolis, Indiana; Karen Banks and husband Scott, granddaughter, Katherine and grandson Zachary in Bedford, Indiana; and David Seest in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Carl’s brother, Private David Newton Seest, was killed in action at age 19 in WWII in Berus, Germany on December 9, 1944. He was awarded a Purple Heart posthumously.
Carl’s sister, Dorothy Ethelyn Pate and her husband Bart Carter Pate both preceded him in death. Carl’s nieces and nephews are Russell Pate, Robert Pate, and Gretchen (Pate) Hail.
A pass-by viewing and greeting of the family, from your vehicle, will be held on August 12, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Genda Funeral Home, Rossville Chapel, underneath the west portico. Following the greeting, a short graveside ceremony will be held at the Rossville Cemetery at 6:30 p.m. A Celebration of Life will be held on a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rossville United Methodist Church P.O. Box 568 Rossville, IN 46065.
Genda Funeral Home, Rossville Chapel, is entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.gendafuneralhome.com