Sam Younker, Longtime Car Dealer

To the Saturday sales crew at Younker Nissan in Renton, it was never a surprise when 76-year-old owner Sam Younker, after working Monday to Friday, came by to put in a few hours with them and bring them a box of donuts.

To them, it was just another indication that the business was simply an extension of Mr. Younker himself.

"This business was his love. It was his hobby and then it was his job," said Gene Church, general manager of the dealership.

Church said treating employees and customers with respect came naturally to Mr. Younker; that's the way he treated everyone.

"This guy had a very magnetic personality. I'm very serious when I say he was one in a million," Church said.

Mr. Younker, car dealer for more than half a century, died Monday after a heart attack. He'll be honored at a 3 p.m. service today at Greenwood Funeral Home in Renton.

Kay Johnson, manager of the Renton Chamber of Commerce, said few could match Mr. Younker's longevity and respect in the local business community.

"He cared about his customers. He was honest and straightforward," Johnson said. "I don't think in the 28 years I've been here we've ever had a complaint about Sam registered with us."

Johnson said Mr. Younker, a member of the chamber's board of directors, was active in a variety of chamber efforts.

As an avid recreational pilot, Mr. Younker made a special effort to help the Renton Municipal Airport seek improvements to its

instrument-landing system.

One of Mr. Younker's frequent companions in the air was Bob Youngquist, a retired flight instructor. Youngquist said Mr. Younker took him for his first airplane ride 35 years ago.

In recent years, the roles were reversed: Youngquist gave Mr. Younker the periodic flight reviews needed to keep his license current.

"I doubt there's anybody in the city of Renton who ever said a bad word about Sam Younker. He was just a real gentleman," said Youngquist.

A life-long Puget Sound area resident, Mr. Younker first went to work for a Auburn car dealarship in 1934. He was hired to pump gas, Church said, but within a week was selling cars.

He opened his own business, Younker Motors, in Renton in 1949. The business became Younker Datsun in 1963, moved to its present location in 1968 and became Younker Nissan with the automaker's change of name in the mid-1980s. The business grew from six employees in 1968 to 50 employees today.

Church said Mr. Younker was among the first dealers in the Northwest to see the tremendous sales potential of small pickup trucks, particularly the kind Datsun produced. "In his opinion, that little pickup was going to be a complete winner. It was inexpensive and economical to own."

Mr. Younker was a member of the National Automobile Dealer's Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Jean; two daughters, Cam Kerst of Tennessee and Rhonda Younker of Edmonton, Alberta; a daughter-in-law, Pat Younker of Renton; two sisters, Violet Smith of Pacific, and Winnie Orris of Puyallup.

He is also survived by two grandchildren, Jodi and Shannon Younker of Renton and one great granddaughter, Brooke, of Renton.

Mr. Younker was preceded in death by his son, Larry, in 1981.

The family suggests remembrances may be made to the American Heart Fund, the Bob Hope Heart Fund or the charity of one's choice.