- Dr. Zook remembered as man of faith, humor ARLINGTON - If a man's friends are a measure of his life, then Dr. Norman Zook lived a very full life indeed.
Hundreds of friends, family members, colleagues and former patients gathered at the Arlington Free Methodist Church Sept. 3 to pay tribute to Zook, who passed away Aug. 26 at the age of 81.
Zook was honored for his service in the Air Force during World War II, when he oversaw prisoner care in Okinawa in 1945, and for the following decades of medical care that he provided to others.
Zook met and married his wife while attending Seattle Pacific College, and after medical school at the University of Oregon, his family, which had grown to include 2 daughters, moved to Arlington in 1956.
Dr. Ben Burgoyne had met Zook years before, and took pride in telling the other attendees of the Sept. 3 memorial services that he'd persuaded Zook to come to Arlington.
"I knew he'd be a wonderful partner and that I could trust him to come," Burgoyne said of his former medical practice partner. "I couldn't have had a better partner in the world."
Zook remained a practicing doctor in Arlington for the next 35 years, before his retirement at the end of 1991, with his wife giving birth to a another daughter and son along the way. Burgoyne's wife Bonnie recalled the Zooks being welcomed into their own family, with their respective children treating each other like cousins.
For someone who was retired, Zook seemed to have trouble sitting still, since he continued to fill in for other doctors and even travel overseas as a missionary. He left his practice twice in the 1970s, for stints of two years each, to serve as a missionary doctor in South Africa, and his later years of missionary service saw him and his wife serving in Burundi during the 1993 coup.
Zook was lauded by many memorial service attendees as a man of faith, not only in his medical trips to Haiti, the Dominican and Central and South America, but also in his service to the Free Methodist Church. Linda Dennis credited Zook with restoring the Christian faith of herself and her husband.
All of Zook's children recalled their summers spent sailing the San Juan and Gulf islands with their father. His son took pride in the heritage and positive examples that his father had given him, while his daughter admitted at she and her father fought occasionally, but celebrated the fact that, even that the end of his life, he was able to give and receive love.
A daughter elicited laughter when she admitted "people tell me I look just like my dad," and again when, because she'd forgotten her glasses, she asked her brother to read "Why a Daughter Needs a Dad."
Zook's nephew, read aloud the memories of Zook's sisters, who were unable to attend. They recalled catching pollywogs and delivering milk with him as children, and receiving support for their own ministry work from him as adults. Their accounts of his childhood interest in medical dissection earned more laughter from the crowd, who nodded their heads at their fondness for his "Reader's Digest jokes and hearty laugh."
His daughter alternated between laughter and tears as she offered her own account of her father, remembering his tears at his grandmother's funeral, and on her 16th birthday. She noted that her dad's profession gave her a first-hand look at some life-lessons, since she watched while he delivered babies and treated the wounds of those who had driven under the influence.
During one moonlit, snowy walk in the country, a shooting star sparked a discussion of faith between she and her father.
"Dad seized the opportunity to talk about God's marvelous beauty in nature, his wonderful design in the universe, his love for mankind and his attention to detail in creating me. I was someone who was very much loved by my creator and my earthly father. This may well be my favorite memory of my dad."
The speakers tempered their grief by observing, as Zook's sisters did, that "it won't be long 'til we'll be joining you."(By Kirk Boxleitner, Arlington Times Reporter Sep 10 2008) names of survivors have been removed by transcriber.
Dr. Norman Wilbur Zook went into the loving embrace of his Savior on August 26, 2008. He was encircled and showered with love by his loving wife Laurine, family members, and friends during his preceding months, days and hours before his departure. Norman will be greatly missed by all.
Dr. Zook was born at home in Tabor, Iowa, on October 13, 1926, to Reverend Leroy and Hazel Zook. Later he was followed by his sisters, Georgia and Nellie.
Near the end of World War II, in 1945, Norman enlisted into the Air Force, and set sail from Seattle, WA, on the ship San Saba for Okinawa. While on the ship Norman wrote for the ships newspaper. He even wrote and illustrated the comics. He was then stationed in Okinawa where he served as lifeguard and oversaw prisoner care.
Dr. Zook then went to Seattle Pacific College where he excelled in his major of art; however, with the guidance of a trusted professor, Norman decided to switch his major to Pre-Med during his junior year. While attending S.P.C. Norman met and married his life long companion and loving wife, Laurine McCormick. While finishing at S.P.C. a daughter was born to he and his wife on August 14, 1951 and they named her Tamara Lynn.
After graduating from S.P.C. he and Laurine, along with infant, Tamara, moved to Oregon, where he attended medical school at the University of Oregon. While still in medical school they had their second daughter. Debora Lee was born on March 24, 1953.
On September 1, 1956, Norman and his family moved to Arlington, Washington, where he set up his medical practice, partnering with Dr. Ben Burgoyne. Their third daughter, Tonya Laurine, was born October 15, 1956, followed by their only son, Norman Gregory, (nick named Greg), on July 21, 1959. Together Norm and Laurine built their dream home on Burn Hill, over-looking the Stillaguamish River. Norman was a doctor in Arlington for 35 years until his retirement on December 31, 1991. After retirement, Norman was often filling in for other doctors, over-seas serving as a missionary doctor, or enjoying his boat in the islands.
Dr. Zook loved nature and took up flying soon after moving to Arlington. Through the years Norman was the proud captain of several sail boats. Starting with the "Renie", (named after his wife), and ending with the "Sea Fever". Most of his summers were spent sailing the San Juans and Gulf islands with his family and friends. He also loved canoeing, kayaking, or hiking and always kept himself fit jogging, biking, or swimming.
In 1974-1975, and 1978-1979 Dr. Zook left his practice in Arlington to serve as a missionary doctor in the Transkei Providence of South Africa. He with his wife, Laurine, were also serving in Burundi during the coup in 1993. He also went on numerous medical trips to Haiti, The Dominican, Central and South America with medical teams. Not to mention also serving his local Free Methodist Church on various boards, committees, and Bible studies.
Norman loved life and lived it to the fullest in the service of his Lord.
He was preceded in death by his loving parents, Reverend Leroy and Hazel Zook.
He is survived by his wife, Laurine Zook; sisters, Georgia Anderson (Don Anderson) and Nellie Fenwick (David Fenwick); daughters, Tamara Tuller (Rollie Tuller), Debora Gudgeon (Danny Gudgeon), and Tonya Sanders (Ron Sanders); son, Norman Gregory Zook (Dawn Zook); grandchildren, Michelle Forster (Charlie Forster), Jennifer Hansen, Michael Gudgeon (Corie Gudgeon), Amy Clark (Erik Clark), Emily Schey (Tyson Schey), Joshua Zook, Wendy Sanders, Katie Zook, and Andy Zook; and great-grandchildren, Peter Forster, Michael Forster, Abby Forster, Bjorn Gudgeon and Kamryn Clark.
He will be missed by all for his zest for life, sense of adventure, humor, wisdom, heart for missions and love for Christ.
Memorial services will be held at 5 p.m., on Wednesday, September 3, 2008, at the Arlington Free Methodist Church, 730 E. Highland Drive; reception following.
There will also be a private family burial at the Arlington Cemetery.
Donations can be made to the Arlington Free Methodist Church, earmarked, Haiti Compassion.
Published in The Herald (Everett) from Aug. 31 to Sep. 2, 2008.
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1926 - 2008 (81 years)
