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Larry D. Zwemke passed away at his home in Spencer on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, after a short illness.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
Larry Dean Zwemke was born on March 4, 1938, in Alta to William Henry Zwemke and Inez Marine (Tuttle) Zwemke. He was the youngest of 10 children and spent his entire youth growing up and attending school in Alta. After high school graduation, he spent the next four years at Buena Vista College and working at BV County Hospital.
On New Years Eve of 1958, at the Cobblestone Ballroom, he met his future wife Sue Ellen Hutchinson. They courted for almost a year and were married on Nov. 6, 1959. To that marriage, they welcomed four children: Deborah, Dean, Michelle and Loree.
In 1962, Larry became the superintendent of Ware Consolidated School in Pocahontas County. In 1966, he pioneered a work/study program at Storm Lake High School with his office and classroom under the football stadium. He later moved into the main building and became a work experience coordinator with AEA, traveling and working with students in nine county schools. In 1972, Larry took on the task as girls basketball coach for the “Tornadoettes” and said he never recovered from that. Summers were spent painting houses, coaching little league with Jack Kooker and placing students on job sites for CETA.
After retiring in 2000, Larry spent his time remodeling the homes he and Sue lived in, his favorite being an acreage north of Newell, which had been Faith Bible Church. He made it into a beautiful home and spent his days on his tractor cruising around six acres and clearing the grove with his beloved dog Buddy and his cat he named Puppy.
Larry loved the Iowa Hawkeyes, having season tickets for many years so he and Dean could go spend weekends together. He loved the St. Louis Cardinals and he, Sue and the kids vacationed for many years in St. Louis as a family trip.
In the 80s, Larry and Dean bought a souvenir shop in the Arnold's Park Amusement Park, “Mr. Z’s Tees” and for several years they enjoyed the hustle and bustle and met many new friends.
He is survived by his wife Sue Zwemke of Spencer; children: Deborah Leewright (Steve Olerich) of Emmetsburg; Dean Zwemke of Urbandale; Michelle Majeres (Bill) of Sioux City; and Loree Zwemke of Spencer; 12 grandchildren; 30 great;grandchildren; two great-great-granddaughters; and Charlie Crouch, who has always been family to us.He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Inez;
siblings: Laverne, Dorothy, Arlene, Donald, Ordell, Darrell, Beverly, William Jr and Shirley; grandson Alex Michael Leewright; and great-grandson, Gabriel Reyes.
Larry loved his family deeply and will be missed tremendously. Gable trained, Go Hawks! Heaven will never be the same.
Arrangements by Geelan Funeral Home in Spencer www.geelanfuneralhome.com.
