Calvin Kenneth Rexroth

July 14, 1925 - November 24, 2019

Calvin K. Rexroth, 94, passed away Sunday, November 24, 2019 at the Oskaloosa Care Center in Oskaloosa. Calvin Kenneth Rexroth, son of John Jacob Rexroth and Mary (Hahn) Rexroth was born July 14, 1925 in Moscow, Iowa. Early in his life, he lived in Oskaloosa, attended Grant School and graduated from Oskaloosa High School in 1942. He served in the Army Air Corp during World War II on the islands of Saipan and Tinian where he was in charge of the bomb storage. During basic training, he met Frances A. Gole in Mississippi and following his discharge, they were married on April 21,1946. To this union, two children were born, Kenneth and Barbara. Frances died February 10,2010. At first, Cal and Fran lived in Mississippi and while there he worked for Morgan Company building cotton gins and also built the Nazarene Church in Clarksdale, Mississippi. They moved back to Oskaloosa where Cal worked for Daws Barr Glass Company (now Oskaloosa Glass) and Sparks Construction. They moved to Waterloo, Iowa where Cal worked for John Deere, and then moved to Marshalltown, Iowa where Cal worked for McGregor Furniture. Cal and Frances came back to Oskaloosa in 1958 and Cal joined with Harold Waal and Joe Shafer forming a construction company building houses and churches. The company became Waal & Rexroth. After Harold retired, Cal joined with Bill Van Houweling and son Kenneth in business and the name changed to Oskaloosa Builders. Over these years, over 360 houses and 750 basement walls were built as well as other light commercial buildings. Cal retired in 1985. Cal was a lifetime member of Oskaloosa Gateway Nazarene Church where he served on various committees and boards as well as singing in the choir. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and served on the Commercial Development Board. Early in his life, Cal was an entrepreneur raising mink, turkeys, and goats. At one point, there were three doctors in the Oskaloosa area who prescribed using his goat milk. Later in life, he also enjoyed hunting, but fishing was his greatest enjoyment. He loved going up to Ken and Verjean’s cabin in Minnesota where he was able to catch some real trophy fish. His family includes his children: Kenneth (Verjean) Rexroth, Oskaloosa and Barbara (Mark) Smith, Olive Branch, Mississippi; Grandchildren: Kim (Mike) McCann, Scott (Krista) Rexroth, Jamie (Steve) Marshall, Cory (Alicia) Rubel, and Andrea Smith; Great grandchildren, Kaleb (Janae) Van Amburg, Kendall Van Amburg, Lainie Van Amburg, Ethan and Ella Rexroth, Mae and Sam Marshall, Reese, Etta and Alice Rubel. Sister: Grace Dillman Bloomington, Illinois, and many nieces and nephews. Cal is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers: Clifford, Lewis, and Clarence Rexroth, and three sisters: Faith Waal, Fern Skinner, Gladys Sutherland. The Funeral Service will be held at Bates Funeral Chapel on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at 10:30 am with Dr. Gary Henecke and Reverend Darren Melton officiating. Burial will be in the University Park Cemetery. Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Saturday, November 30 at 9:00 am until service time at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the The National Fragile X Foundation/Fragile X Syndrome (Fragilex.org) or Gateway Church of the Nazarene.