Twin brothers who started Mid City Corporation die at 88

Robert and William Zoulek, twin brothers who founded Butler-based plumbing contractor Mid City Corporation, died recently.

The Zoulek brothers started Mid City in October 1965 and worked as master plumbers more than 10 years prior. In the 1990s, William sold his business shares to Robert and his sons and worked his way to full retirement. Robert continued to work at Mid City until he physically couldn’t and passed leadership of the family business to his sons, Tom, Pete and Joe.

William Zoulek died Nov. 16 and Robert Zoulek died Dec. 18, said Tom Zoulek, Robert’s son and second-generation president of Mid City Corporation. They were both 88.

“These guys taught so many people and there are so many people that got a career in the plumbing industry because of these two,” Tom Zoulek said. “It’s going to be a lost art to an extent,” he added.

Robert and William Zoulek grew up on a farm in Aurora, Wisconsin, with no running water and little electricity, before moving to Milwaukee and attending St. John’s Cathedral High School, Tom Zoulek said. They started their plumbing apprenticeship in 1954 and worked for 11 years before starting Mid City, a plumbing and heating contractor company.

Both brothers devoted their time outside the job to community service: William Zoulek as president of the Wisconsin Plumbing and Heating Contractor’s Association, according to an obituary.

Robert Zoulek served with the Butler Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years and served as chief for 12 years, Tom Zoulek said. He was a founding member of the Butler Community Foundation and restored the Historic Clark House. Zoulek also served as president of the Butler Chamber of Commerce.

Before starting the business, Robert Zoulek helped install water mains at the Milwaukee County Zoo, Tom Zoulek said. Mid City Corporation also led work on the Henry Maier Festival Grounds in the 1970s and still performs HVAC work there today, he added.

Even after partial retirement, Robert Zoulek continued to show up at the office at 5:30 a.m. every day, Tom Zoulek said.

“We learned everything we know about this trade and our work ethic from those two,” Zoulek said. “You work until the job is done, take care of the customer and give a quality product,” he added.