Carol Ann Rutt

Carol Ann (Edgar) Rutt

August 13, 1933 – September 2, 2021

Carol Ann Edgar was born in Steubenville, Ohio, the second daughter born to Raymond and Bertha (Anderson) Edgar.  Carol’s older sister was Betty.  When Carol was eleven, she came down with tuberculosis, and the family was told that a move to Arizona would be beneficial for her health.  So, they relocated to Tucson, Arizona.

In her application to SIM in March 1956, Carol writes, “We had always gone to Sunday School and Church in Ohio and continued to attend after arriving in Tucson. It was not, however, until I attended Coronado Baptist Church in 1948 that I ever heard that the ‘blood of Christ cleanseth all sin,’ and that everyone must have a personal experience with the Lord. In November 1949, Christ found me, and I accepted Him as my own personal Savior.  Just after I was saved, the thought of the mission field was constantly in my mind. But during my Junior and Senior years in High School, I managed to dismiss the idea.”

Following graduation from Tucson Senior High School in June, 1952, Carol enrolled for classes at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL.

From that same application, Carol continues, “I entered the Missionary Course, but after one semester, I decided that I didn’t have the ‘stuff’ to make a missionary and changed my course. After graduating from Moody, I began to work full-time in my home church.  Still the mission field and Africa plagued my mind, and more than once I threatened to send for application papers, but never did for fear of being accepted. Just before the recent Missionary Conference held at our church by Rev. Lewis of SIM, I promised God that I would give Him a chance to speak to my heart. This is the portion of scripture that was thrust forth in my mind. ‘Woe to me if I preach not the Gospel.’ And now I very humbly and sincerely end the battle and surrender my life to Christ for His service in Africa.”

Carol was accepted for service with SIM and departed for Nigeria in 1958. She spent the next 42 years, serving in a variety of ways; trekking, literacy, teaching English, and teaching the Bible.  For the last 20 years of her time in Nigeria, she found great satisfaction in teaching at the Gure Bible School.

Around 1996, Dave Rutt, a fellow SIM missionary whose wife had passed away several years prior, began corresponding with Carol and ultimately asked her to marry him. This whole time Dave was in the U.S. and Carol was in Nigeria.  She told Dave that she couldn’t give him an answer until she came back to the U.S. for her next furlough. When she came home, and they were able to spend some time together, she finally agreed to marriage.

Dave and Carol returned to Nigeria for a couple more years, before retiring in 2000.  They initially alternated between Pennsylvania in the summers, and Arizona in the winters before making their home in Sebring, FL, at the SIM Retirement Village, in May 2005.

Upon moving to Sebring, they became active in the Sunridge Baptist Church.  Carol also maintained an active discipleship ministry via Skype.  Dave passed away on September 1, 2017 and Carol joined him in heaven on September 2, 2021.  Carol loved God, and Carol loved people; and she wanted all to know of God’s provision for salvation.

Arrangements entrusted to:

Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home

4001 Sebring Parkway

Sebring, FL 33870

Online condolences may be left at:

www.stephensonnelsonfh.com