Zook, Vernon Samuel (1914-2004)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Jan 10 p. 8

Birth date: 1914 Jan 13

text of obituary:

VERNON SAMUEL ZOOK

Vernon Samuel Zook, 90, of Kalona, Iowa, died Dec. 6, 2004. He was born Jan. 13, 1914, to Lewis and Clara (Stutzman) Zook at Hydro, Okla.

When he was 4, the family moved to Kalona, where he attended Pleasant Hill School. At age 14, he committed his life to Christ during revival meetings, was baptized and became a member of East Union Mennonite Church.

On Jan. 25, 1939, he married Marguerite Emde at her home in Wellman. They moved to a farm of rural Iowa City, where they lived for the next 58 years.

Although he was not able to continue school beyond the eighth grade, he was an excellent student and an avid reader, with special interest in natural science. He especially enjoyed in-depth Bible study. He maintained enthusiasm for learning his whole life.

He volunteered with several out- of-state, short-term Mennonite Disaster Service projects. He remained physically active as long as he possibly could until severe arthritis curtailed his mobility.

They moved from the farm to Pleasantview Home in Kalona in 1998, first to a cottage, then to residential and finally to nursing care in March 2004. His physical health declined steadily in spite of his mental determination to keep going.

Survivors include his wife, Marguerite; a son, Donald and his wife, Verna, of rural Iowa City; a daughter, Linda Paine and her husband, Paul, of Alamosa, Colo.; son-in-law Manfred Leodolter of Creston; a sister, Mary Ellen Zook of Kalona; and six grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Janice, in 2002; a sister, Barbara; and three brothers, Leroy, Bill and Oscar.

Funeral services were held at East Union Mennonite Church. Burial was in East Union Cemetery.