A memorial service for James William Dykstra, 63, of Darfur, Minnesota, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, august 5, 2015, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Jackson, Minnesota, located at 614 Logan Avenue.
Inurnment will follow in Riverside Cemetery in Jackson.
Pastor Lance Isaacson will officiate at the services.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
James W. Dykstra passed away peacefully at the South Shore Care Center in Worthington, Minnesota on Saturday, August 1, 2015, holding the hands of his children and in the presence of his family.
Osterberg Funeral Home of Jackson is handling the arrangements.
James William Dykstra was born on July 2, 1952 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Jacob and Violet (Schneckloth) Dykstra. James (Jim) was baptized at the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson and later confirmed at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. He attended country school near Loon Lake and graduated from Jackson Public High School in 1970. He continued his education with a degree in Biotechnology from Jackson Vocational Technical College.
He was united in marriage to Marcia Grantz on August 22, 1972 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. To this union were born two children, Sherry and Jeffery. They were married 19 years.
Jim spent most of his life as an owner/operator truck driver. He enjoyed fishing, camping and picnicking and just being with the grandkids at the lake. His favorite hobby was shooting guns and shell reloading. He loved going to Threshing Bees and spending time working on mini-bikes with his children. Jim would take many trips “just out on the open road” to enjoy nature. Jim had also been a licensed airplane pilot and flew the family back “home” many times for the holidays. Jim and the family have celebrated his recovery program for the past 23 years.
In 2013 Jim was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He fought “the beast” using non-traditional remedies.
Jim is survived by his two children, Sherry (Shannon) Schaffer of Alexandria, Minnesota and Jeffery (Allison Rasche) Dykstra of Worthington and five grandchildren, Ashley and Ryan Schaffer and Payton, Tate and Jase Dykstra; his father, Jake (Jacob) Dykstra of Jackson and his sister, Cindy (Larry) Green of Butterfield, Minnesota and their children, Scott (Brittany) Green and Stephanie Green.
James was preceded in death by his mother, Violet; his grandparents; four uncles and two aunts.
