Face of Vern Fonk will be remembered among the greats

There’s a good chance you never knew his name, but you’ve probably seen and heard him.

Rob Thielke, 50, is better known as the face of Vern Fonk insurance. He died Sunday after a battle with cancer.

“Don’t forget to honk when you drive by Vern Fonk,” Thielke would remind viewers in the majority of the company’s commercials.

He stood out with all of the other great pitchmen, like Jack Roberts of Jack Roberts Appliance, KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson said. Roberts, of course, could never be undersold.

Thielke, who worked his way from agent to president of Vern Fonk Insurance, was charged with creating the company’s TV commercials. He helped the company grow to 23 locations throughout Washington and Oregon.

Thielke’s death comes too soon, Dori says.

“Way, way, way too young,” he added. “It freaks me out about hearing of a guy younger than me dying of cancer.”