Carolyn Rants Obituary, Death – Friday marked the passing of Dr. Carolyn J. Rants, who had previously served as vice president at Western Iowa Tech Community College and Morningside College, which is now known as Morningside University. Her age was 87. A sudden and unexpected death occurred at the residence of Doctor Carolyn Rants on Friday, March 8. Following a career in academia that spanned fifty years, Rants held the position of Dean of Students at both Morningside College and Western Iowa Tech Community College, both of which are located in Sioux City. There was also a period of two years during which she served as the International President of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.
Rants was also a member of a number of boards and commissions, including the board at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s and the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, among others. On the Saturday, March 16, 2024, at eleven o’clock in the morning, a memorial service honoring her life will be conducted at First United Methodist Church in Sioux City. Visitation will begin one hour before. The Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, Morningside Chapel is responsible for providing assistance to the family with the arrangements. She was the daughter of John and Christine (Helzer) Halloran and was born on October 3, 1936 in Hastings, Nebraska. Carolyn Rants was named after her mother. She obtained her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Omaha, her Master of Education degree from the University of Nebraska, and her Doctor of Education degree from the University of South Dakota. She graduated from Hastings High School and went on to attend Hastings College.
She tied the knot with Marvin Rants in 1957, and the couple went through a divorce in 1984. The location of both of these establishments can be found in Sioux City. Because of her leadership, she was able to garner the respect and affection of both her fellow teachers and the students within her classroom. Her leadership was distinguished by her dedication to the establishment of educational settings that were welcoming to all students and supportive of their academic endeavors without exception. Dr. Rants was elected to the post of International President of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for a period of two years, which was the most notable of the major leadership positions that she assumed. In addition to her efforts inside the institution, Dr. Rants also assumed key leadership positions.
The fact that she contributed her expertise to a number of boards and commissions, such as the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the board at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s, enabled her influence to extend beyond the confines of the academic world. Dr. Rants was a devoted member of the First United Methodist Church in Sioux City for a lengthy amount of time. Within the walls of the church, he found both an atmosphere of consolation and friendship.
This revered place of worship will be the location of the memorial service for her life, which will take place on March 16 at eleven o’clock in the morning.Carolyn started her fifty-year career in education by teaching elementary school in Nebraska and Michigan. She then became a faculty member in the education department at Morningside College and Vice President at both Morningside College and Western Iowa Tech Community College. Carolyn’s career in education has spanned the whole field of education. As of 2007, she has retired.
She was involved in a wide variety of organizations. In addition to serving as state president from 1997 to 1999 and as international president from 2008 to 2010, Carolyn was a member of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (DKG) for sixty years. DKG is a professional honors society for women educators. The central business district of Austin, Texas was her home throughout her time as president.
Both the state accomplishment award and the International DKG accomplishment Award were bestowed upon Carolyn in the year 1999 and 2011, respectively. Throughout the course of her professional life, Dr. Rants served on a broad variety of boards and commissions, which allowed her to make substantial contributions to the community in which she resided. These contributions were made possible as a result of her participation in these boards and commissions.
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the board of directors of UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s were two of the organizations that were included in this collection of organizations. In the course of her unwavering commitment to the causes of education and civil rights, she not only became well-known in the area, but she also earned a great deal of respect from the people there.
Despite the fact that the Siouxland community is coming to terms with the loss of a beloved educator, Dr. Carolyn Rants will be remembered not only for her professional achievements but also for the substantial impact she had on the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing her. The many lives that she touched and the legacy of excellence in education that she left behind will survive, and her soul will never be consumed by death.
