The funeral service for Lynn Franklin Van Dyke, 61, Ypsilanti, ND will be 10:30 am Monday, June 8, at Marion School Gymnasium, Marion, ND. Visitation will be 9 am to 10:30 am at school on Monday. Burial will be in the North Marion Cemetery, Marion. He died unexpectedly on the family farm on Thursday, June 4.
Lynn Franklin Van Dyke was born on October 31, 1958 in Jamestown, ND, the son of Frank G and Joyce (Miedema) Van Dyke. Lynn graduated from Montpelier High School in 1976; he attended NDSCS in Wahpeton, ND for two years and graduated with a degree in diesel mechanics. Lynn married the love of his life, Pamela Radtke, on June 16, 1984. Lynn’s passion was always to farm. They made their home on the Harold Miedema Farm, where son’s Chad and Cory were raised and became Lynn’s right-hand men. In 1998, the family moved to the Ernest Miedema “Come & Stay” farm.
These are “the facts.” But Lynn was so much more. He was always ready with a joke or a story. He was a deep thinker who was unwilling to accept “easy answers.” He understood that being human can be difficult and he did not pass judgment on the many human shortcomings. He talked a lot (often interrupting!) and his mind never stopped thinking, reflecting and going full speed. He acknowledged and felt other people’s pain in a profound way and had a hard time accepting it because he so wished it “could be fixed.” But if you were close to him, you knew he cared deeply. Lynn probably could have “visited” with a fence post but he felt genuine interest in people of all kinds.
One of Lynn’s favorite sayings was “Carry On.” We are heartbroken that we must carry on without him, but we believe he is at peace and we will cherish many wonderful memories of him, in our hearts, forever.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank G and Joyce Van Dyke and by his mother-in-law, Gertrude Radtke.
Lynn is survived by his wife, Pamela and sons, Chad (Jill) of rural Glenfield, ND and Cory (Kayla) and Grandson Zander, age 2 of rural Marion, ND. He is also survived by 4 siblings: Judy (Rog) Punt of Woodbury, MN, Kaylene (Verlyn) Hemmen of Eagan, MN, Curtis (Katy) Van Dyke of Valley City, ND and Keith (Lisa) Van Dyke of Maple Grove, MN, his father-in-law, Wally Radtke of St Paul, MN; in-laws, Rick (Sue) Radtke, Big Lake, MN and Cheryl (Jim) Shaffer, Newhall, IA; along with many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and many good friends.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City, ND. An online guestbook is available at www.oliver-nathanchapel.com