Charlie Zook, 91, of Sioux City, passed away on Thursday, March 15, 2018, at a local care facility after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 19th at First United Methodist Church, with Reverend Roger Madden officiating. Visitation is Sunday, March 18th from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. and the family present from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Charlie was born on a farm in McLouth, Kansas, on January 4th, 1927, to Harry and Audrey (Rummel) Zook. After high school graduation, he enlisted in the Army to serve in World War II. He trained in the infantry for the invasion of Japan, and was spared that duty with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After his service, he eventually found his career in the automotive business where he spent 17 years in Kansas culminating as the general manager of Jim Clark Motors in Lawrence, Kansas.
In 1967 he purchased Sioux City Dodge and two years later built a new dealership, helping to start Auto Row on East 6th Street. Over the years he added the Chrysler, Plymouth, Jeep, Mitsubishi and Hyundai franchises. Charlie’s business related awards included the Siouxland Chamber’s Small Business of the Year, the Sam Walton Business Leaders Award, Iowa Auto Dealer Hall of Fame, and the Time Magazine Quality Dealer of the Year.
Charlie served as the Iowa Auto Dealers president, Siouxland Chamber president and Port Admiral of Rivercade. He served on other boards such as the St. Luke’s Health Foundation, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, YMCA, BBB, Morningside College and the Woodbury County Conservation Board, where he helped get the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center built. He supported various other local organizations including Goodfellows, First United Methodist and numerous youth athletic programs.
He is survived by his wife Mary, his two children: Sheila (Tony) Martinez of Irving, TX, and Bruce Zook (Molly O’Bryan) of Omaha, NE; 5 step children: Rick (Dee) Sweitzer of Sioux City, Randy Sweitzer of Sioux City, Mark (Maryern) Sweitzer of Calmar, IA, Rick (Sharon) Daniels, and Craig Daniels of Lawrence, KS; grandchildren: Tangie (Conrad) Doss of the Woodlands, TX, Sean Martinez of Gun Barrel City, TX, Leslie (John) Baltzley of Dallas, TX, Mallory Zook and Spencer Zook of Austin, TX, Jason (Emily) Sweitzer of Sioux City, Jeremy (Ali) Sweitzer of Omaha, NE, Jodi Sweitzer of Sioux City, Justin Sweitzer of Sioux City and Josie Sweitzer of Minneapolis, MN; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church, Carmelite Monastery of Sioux City or Hospice of Siouxland.