Virgil Eugene Dykstra was born on Sep. 4, 1934, on a farm near Leighton, Iowa, the son of Tunis and Martha (Verploeg) Dykstra. He went to heaven to be with his Lord on Jan. 23, 2016, at the V. A. Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.

Virgil was baptized and made profession of his Christian faith at Ebenezer Reformed Church in Leighton. He began school at Black Oak # 6 which was located very close to his home. In 1952, he graduated from Pella High School and worked at Sedrel Hatchery in Leighton for 2 years.

On Dec. 23, 1954, Virgil was united in marriage to Marlene Boerefyn, also of Leighton. To this union they were blessed with three children: Denise, David, and Kimberly. Virgil served in the U.S. Army for two years in Chicago in a Nike Guided Missile Battery. In 1957, they began farming in the Leighton area. After hearing the call to go into the fulltime ministry, they moved to Pella, where Virgil attended Central College, graduating in 1967, with a degree in philosophy. While in college, Virgil drove a school bus for Pella Christian Schools, and in the summers, he helped with the construction of the Red Rock Dam. They moved to Holland, Michigan where he attended Western Theological Seminary, graduating in 1970 with a Masters of Divinity.

Virgil and Marlene enjoyed ministering in three RCA churches in Iowa: Zion Reformed, Sheffield: 1970 - 1981, Carmel Reformed, Rock Valley: 1981 - 1991, and Trinity Reformed, Allison: 1991 - 1998. He also served as Spiritual Director for many Cursillos in both Northwest and Central Iowa. They retired in 1998, moving to Pella, and became members of the First Reformed Church.

During his lifetime, Virgil enjoyed a variety of activities. Repairing player pianos and pump organs, making fudge, singing with the River City Barbershop Chorus in Mason City, serving on Classis committees, RAGBRAI, driving their 1968 convertible, and recently the DAF, in Tulip Time parades, Dutch Masters Auto Club, Wooden Shoes Camping Club, and coffee club at In't Veld's. He especially enjoyed playing the street organ, Goliath, and being a guide at the Pella Historical Village. He and Marlene traveled in their motor home to many states, including special trips to Alaska, and Copper Canyon, Mexico.

During the winter months of retirement, they did volunteer work in Texas, Mexico, Arizona, and Florida. During the last 10 years, they volunteered at Wycliffe Bible Translators in Orlando, Florida, supporting Bible translation around the world. In 2005, Virgil and Marlene began serving as RCA Retiree Chaplains for RCA retirees and widows in the Central Iowa, North Central Iowa, and Minnesota areas.

Virgil is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marlene Dykstra of Pella, Iowa; 3 children and 5 grandchildren:

Denise Dykstra, Windsor Heights, Iowa
Govert "Will" Van Zee, Ames, Iowa

David and Louisa (Vockrodt) Dykstra, Windsor Heights
Kyle Dykstra, Des Moines, Iowa
Blake Dykstra, Windsor Heights
Joanna Dykstra, Windsor Heights

Kimberly Dykstra, Breckenridge, Colorado
Dominick DiLallo, Breckenridge.

He is also survived by his sister, Marcene Hanna, in-laws: Bruce and Joyce Nikkel, Glenn and Carol Brickley, Chuck and Donna Bogaard, and Jennifer Hart; and nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents: Tunis and Martha Dykstra, parents-in-law: John and Elma Boerefyn, daughter-in-law: Laurie Dykstra, stillborn granddaughter: Mallory Dykstra, sisters and their husbands: Viola and Elmer Pothoven, Evelyn and Harold Den Hartog, brother-in-law: Ervin Hanna, and sister-in-law: Janice Nikkel.

Visitation

Friday, January 29, 2016
Family present 4:00 - 7:00 P.M.
First Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa

Celebration Of Life Service

11:00 A.M. Saturday, January 30, 2016
First Reformed Church
Pella, Iowa

Memorials

Words of Hope Radio Ministry

Private family burial will occur prior to the service.