Lester William Dykstra

Lester William Dykstra, son of Dowina Louise Dykstra (Dorothy) and Adrian Michael Dykstra (Ed) was born February 15, 1933 in Canistota, SD and died December 22, 2008 at his daughter's home in Jackson, WY. As an infant, he moved with his family to the rural Everly, IA area in 1934, attending primary school at the Waterford Country School and high school in Everly, graduating in 1951. He was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Barbara Lou Kimball, on June 15, 1952 at First English Lutheran Church in Spencer, IA and they spent their lives together raising their 5 children and farming in the rural Everly and May City areas. He was active in the community and a member of St. John's Lutheran Church of May City and later St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Hartley, where he was active in Lutheran Laymen's League and choir. He loved to sing, golf, and fish and was always up for a good game of cards. After retiring from farming in 1998 he focused his energies on his family, carpentry, woodworking, hunting, travel, volunteering at Camp Okoboji where he played a key role in building the cabin "Judges" in the winter of 2006-07, and was the sexton of the Lone Tree and Reformed Church cemeteries of rural Everly until diagnosed with brain cancer in December, 2007. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother, Lawrence Jacob Dykstra, and son, David William Dykstra. He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Vickie Dykstra of Highlands Ranch, CO, Connie Swan and her husband, Steve of Dickens, IA and Jackson, WY, Kay Black and her husband, Mark of Anchorage, AK; one son, Mark Dykstra and his wife, Michelle of Raymore, MO; seven grandchildren, Jessica Swan George and her husband, Tim George of Glenview, IL, Adrian Dykstra of Chicago, IL, Lyndsey Black of Missoula, MT, Jacob Dykstra of Omaha, NE, Hunter Swan and Gannett Swan of Dickens, IA and Jackson, WY, and William Paul Dykstra of Raymore, MO; two great-grandchildren, Lindsey and Mason George of Glenview, IL; two brothers, Elmer and his wife, Gloria of Spencer, IA, Vernon and his wife, Norma of West Okoboji, IA; two sisters, Dorothy Galm and her husband, Edwin of Everly, IA and Betty Bonker and her husband, Leonard of Harlingen, TX; one aunt, Gertrude Wieman of Sioux Falls, SD; many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

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