Born: Su 2 Dec 1934 in Kollum, Friesland
Father: Siebe HOEKSTRA Spouse: Rinnie (Rinskje) KUIPERS 5 Children, 4 living (1 DY)
Wedding pic 17 Jan 1959 ===>> |
|
|
Nick was born in the Netherlands in 1934 and came to Canada in 1951 at 16yo, landing in Port Alberni the next year. He married Rinnie at 24yo. He spent his working career at the M&B APD mill there, retiring in 1991. We have lots of memories of times spent with Nick and family. He was always very active in sports and socializing and he didn't much like 'sitting still'. They made many friends at the AZ trailer park and were busy most evenings playing games and visiting. 2 of his favorites was 'bocce ball' and 'beanbags' which we played often. Usually when we'd visit them, we'd visit awhile, have a great meal (cooked by Rinnie), then after coffee and dessert head outside for a game or just a walk. In politics Nick was left of center, moderating as he got older. He spent his whole working career in PA working at various mills owned by MacMillan Bloedel (now owned by Weyerhauser). At the time of our wedding (1983) he gave a group of us a very interesting tour of the APD Plywood Plant not far from the DYKSTRA home on 7th St, just down the hill and by the water. Nick was a committed Christian and was very active at 1st CRC. He loved and cared deeply for his family and was willing to make sacrifices to stay on good terms with them. Likely his deepest prayer was that each of them commit themselves to Christ as Lord and Savior. The family was able to get together often since Nick's parents and 3 sibs and families lived in the same town. His family had come to Port Alberni when Nick was 18yo.
One special outing was our Mar 1989 hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, staying overnight at the Phantom Ranch (I believe it was Nick/Rinnie, Stan/Jane, Rick/Deb, Steve/Irene and Stacy/Sandy). We planned this ~1yr in advance. We unfortunately chose the night when the area would be shaken by a rare earthquake. I remembered being awakened in the middle of the night to the sound of rumblings and falling rocks not far away (just where you want to be during an earthquake, at the BOTTOM of a very large canyon!? earthquake was Sa 3-4-89). Then next morning after a delicious hot breakfast at the Ranch (included in fee), we headed back up the 9-mile Bright Angel (Stacy used the shorter 6-mile ?) Trail. Not far along we encountered more rumbling and falling rocks, and Nick talked for years about how Irene was startled by those and stumbled, requiring him to help her up (I was further ahead, what a cad :-) ). Anyway it was a wonderful hike and experience and boy did we have stories to tell. That's Nick, always the adventurer.
Another kind of funny story is how Nick would leave so early when travelling to/from BC to AZ. He had a reputation for hitting the road at maybe 4am (catch the 1st ferry) and making only very quick pitstop-type gas/b'rm stops along the way. Very much the hard-driver (also to save a 2nd night's hotel expense).
More stories ...
Nick's sudden and unexpected death came the week after he'd visited his bro and sis on the mainland, also stopping to see 3rd son near Victoria. That morning he and Rinnie had gone to play Pickle Ball at nearby Echo Center. When he didn't feel well and wanted to leave early, Rinnie told him to take the car and she'd walk home (not far). But when she arrived home he was unresponsive in his recliner chair. She called 911 but the EMTs were unable to revive him. Theo/Alice live nearby and heard/saw the EMTs in the neighborhood. When they took a walk they realized they were at Rinnie's so stopped in, staying with Rinnie as the EMTs worked. It seems his heart just stopped. He'd always said he didn't want to 'linger' in a debilitated state, so perhaps God answered his prayers in this? Nick lived 4267 weeks and 4 days.
HOEKSTRA, Nico "Nick" went home to be with his Lord on Thursday, September 15, 2016 at the age of 81. He will be especially missed by his wife of 57 years, Rinnie; children Steve, Frank (Karin), Mike (Kristin) and Glenda (Alberto): grandchildren Tysen (Kristina), Elisabeth, Eric, Kyle, Kaitlin, Marcus, Rachel (Dwayne), and Matea; great grandchildren Gage; siblings Jane, Al (Audrey), and Alice (Theo); as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Born in Kollum the Netherlands, Nick immigrated to Canada in 1951 and arrived in the [Alberni] Valley in 1952. He met and married Rinnie in 1958. Nick was very involved in the community as a soccer player, coach and referee and was a participant in tennis, slo-pitch, pickle ball and lawn bowling. He was also very involved in the Christian Reformed Church and his enthusiasm in all he did was infectious. Nick enjoyed spending the last 26 winters with Rinnie in Arizona which enabled him to be active all year round. His love of life will be greatly missed by all. A Celebration of Nick's Life will be held at 2:00pm, Saturday, September 24, 2016 at the Christian Reformed Church, 5033 Roger St, Port Alberni, BC., with Pastor Curtis Korver officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations in Nick's memory may be made to the Bread of Life, 3130 3rd Ave, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4C8.
Nick was buried at Port Alberni cemetery Fr 23 Sep 2016 (only ~20 feet from his parents and grandparents (DILLEMAs), by the large tree near the center of the cemetery).
