Randy Dykstra

Randall Scott (Randy) Dykstra was born March 15, 1954 in Spencer, Iowa. He was the first-born son of Elmer and Gloria (Snyder) Dykstra. He was baptized and received religious education at the First Reformed Church of Everly. Randy attended school in Hartley until 5th grade when his family moved to his grandparents’ farm north of Everly. He was active in 4-H and FFA for several years, showing calves and pigs. He was a member of the Everly High School class of 1972. Randy chose to further his education at Iowa State University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Ag Business, and became a lifelong Cyclone fan.

After graduating from ISU he kept his apartment in Ames and took a job working on grain drying equipment near Nevada. When younger brother Rodney graduated from ISU, the brothers moved back to the family farm where Randy resided until his death. The brothers joined their dad in farming until Elmer retired and turned the operation over to his sons.

Over the years, in the off season, Randy supplemented his income working in the freezer at Spencer Foods and in the warehouse at Globe Plumbing & Supply in Spencer. He worked for several years as a field inspector for Iowa Crop Improvement Assn, a job he acquired from Elmer.

Farming was Randy’s vocation, but fishing was his passion. The annual trip to Canada with his fishing buddies was a required priority. He also enjoyed hunting, attending concerts, taking bus trips to casinos, and eating out. Randy spent hundreds of hours grilling for the Pork Producers and could often be found working at the Chop Shop during the Clay County Fair.

Randy was tragically killed in an automobile accident near Spencer on February 7, 2025. He was proceeded in death by his parents and infant sister, Rebecca. Left to cherish his memory are his brother Rodney of Spirit Lake; sister Sandi and her husband Kirby of Spencer; his niece Rachel, her husband Tom and their children Annabelle and Madison of Marion, Iowa; his Aunt Barbara Dykstra of Spencer, as well as many cousins, neighbors, and friends.