K. James Dykstra

Kenneth James Dykstra lost his battle with aggressive cancer on 7 February 2024 surrounded by family. He was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, to Anna Mary and Kenneth G. Dykstra on 11 March 1939 and grew up in Albion, NY. After attending Amherst College for three years, he received his Electrical Engineering degree from Iowa State University. He spent his career working at computer companies and living in the Twin Cities, suburban Toronto, Silicon Valley and Southboro, MA. He met his wife, Ruetta Beck, in an ISU math class and they celebrated 61+ years of life together.

After some retirement years near Boston, he and Ruetta relocated to Vancouver, WA where the pinot noir wines in the Willamette Valley called to him as well as 2 grandchildren.

In the early 1970s he built a cabin in the Wisconsin woods where the family spent many weekends. He always enjoyed classical music and life near Toronto/Boston provided many opportunities to enjoy music and theater until hearing loss ended that. Besides wine, he also enjoyed cooking. He and Ruetta organized a dinner club in Southboro for more than 22 years with Jim creating nearly all the menus. That legacy was carried forward to our current neighborhood.

Travel was always a part of his life. Some of the usual stops but also some places off the beaten path: Antarctica, Iran, Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka. There were also trips that focused on wine tasting as well as 4 trips on the 4 masted Sea Cloud.

He is survived by his wife, sons Hans (Vanessa) and Jonathan (Shannon) and grandchildren Zane, Nate, Griffin and Rowan.