Charles van Zandt

Charles van Zandt, age 78, of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Life Care Center.

Born on January 29, 1948, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Charles was the son of the late Charles van Zandt, Jr. and the late Suzanne Sears van Zandt. He devoted more than thirty years to Johnson Controls in Pulaski, Tennessee before retiring, then continued working for another decade at ACE Hardware.

Charles gave generously of his time through volunteer work and community fundraising. He served as coordinator for the Special Olympics in Pulaski, helping to organize, plan, and build activities for the participants. A member of the Masonic Lodge in Kirksville, Missouri, he proudly performed as a Shriner’s Clown. He also served as a reserve police officer in Missouri, was active in the Boy Scouts of America in Pulaski, and participated in the Kiwanis Club and Civitan organizations there. In his free time, he enjoyed carpentry and was a skilled woodworker. Charles was a man of Christian faith.

He is survived by his wife, Julie van Zandt; sons, Charles van Zandt, IV of Iowa, Chad (Wendy) van Zandt of Missouri, and Zachary van Zandt of Alabama; stepchildren, Joyce (Brian) Cooper of Tennessee and Van (Marlina) Ervin of Tennessee; brother, Marc (Chun) van Zandt of Minnesota; nine step-grandchildren; and thirteen step-great-grandchildren. The family extends special thanks to Dr. Ledbetter, Dr. Pinkston, and the staff of Life Care Center for their devoted care.