John Van Dyke

John Van Dyke was born April 10, 1929, at Rock Rapids, Iowa to Dries and Mary (Kracht) Van Dyke. He died on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne, Minnesota, at the age of 96.

John moved with his family to Ward, South Dakota when he was 8 years old. He attended school near Ward. On June 23, 1953, he married Lydia Adelle Garbers at the Baptist church in Tyler, Minnesota. He entered the military on November 11, 1953 and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Following their marriage the Van Dykes were stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Gillem, Georgia, and Fort Carson, Colorado. He was discharged on November 11, 1955. After his discharge from the military, the family lived in Bloomington, Minnesota where John attended the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The family then moved to Lake Benton, Minnesota where they began farming and later moved to the Slayton, Minnesota area. John was a member of the Westbrook Immanuel Baptist Church.

John and Lydia farmed for many years and after Lydia's passing in 1999, John acquired and managed several rental properties.

Growing up John's family had family devotions every morning after breakfast and then spent time in prayer. Until the last year or so of John's life, he continued that habit and prayed daily for each child and grandchild.

John is lovingly remembered by three sons, David (Lois) Van Dyke of Austin, Texas, Duane (Chris) Van Dyke of Avoca, Minnesota, and Douglas Van Dyke of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; three daughters, Sandi (Dale) Harder of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Julie (Doug) Czepa of Papillion, Nebraska, and Cindy Sims of Omaha, Nebraska; fourteen grandchildren, Joel, Nathan, Ryan (Selja), Daniel, Rebecca, Rachel (Jorge Euceda), Jason (Bree), Kate (Michael Shepard), Stephen, Matthew, Jonathan, Eli, Tori, and Veroniqa; and seven great-grandchildren, Carter, Cole, Max, Zoe, Jorge, Gabriel, and Noah; one sister, Henrietta DeVriend of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Van Dyke and Linda Garbers; one brother-in-law, Herbert Garbers; and numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lydia; his parents; eleven brothers, Alt, Bert, Fred, Gerrit I, John I, Henry, Bennie, Pete, Gerrit II, Andy, and Albert; and four sisters, Bertha, Jeannette, Hilda, and Margeret.