Bakker, Dwight Lee 1946-2023

BAKKER, DYK, AUKES

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/13/2023 at 12:21:25

Mr. Dwight Bakker, age 77, of Hull, passed away on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at Sioux Center Health.

A visitation with the family present will be held on Tuesday, September 12, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Hope Christian Reformed Church in Hull. A prayer service will take place on Wednesday, September 13, at 10:00am, at the church, followed by interment at the Hope Cemetery in Hull. There will be a memorial service on Wednesday, at 11:00am, at the church with Pastor Keith Hoekstra officiating. The Oolman Funeral Home in Hull is in charge of arrangements.

Dwight Lee was born on September 9, 1946, to Lee and Lois (Aukes) Bakker in Parkersburg. He was raised in Wellsburg, attending Timothy Christian and Wellsburg Public Schools. He then continued his education at Dordt College in Sioux Center. There, as basketball manager for the men’s team, he met the love of his life, a cheerleader, Janice Dyk. They were married on June 21, 1968, in Churchill, Montana. He went on to earn his master’s degree in chemistry from the University of South Dakota.

Dwight loved teaching, working his first two years at Hull Christian and then serving another forty years at Western Christian High School. He continued to substitute teach. His love for teaching extended after retirement to his grandchildren, helping them with their science and math homework and quizzing them on multiplication whenever he saw them. He enjoyed attending as many of their extracurricular events as he could, always bringing strawberry cream saver candies with him to share. He was known to always have a pocketknife, fingernail clipper and silver dollar in his pockets as well.

In addition to teaching, he was a photographer, capturing countless memories for many weddings, seniors, engagements, and families. Woodworking was another creative outlet for him. He spent many hours puttering around in his workshop, creating all kinds of things. His grandkids loved to join him there. Gardening, golfing, fishing, rock and knife collecting were also hobbies of his.

Dwight spent a lot of time volunteering. At Hope Christian Reformed Church, he served as a youth group leader, catechism teacher and elder. He worked with Habitat for Humanity on many houses. He loved working at or making things for Bargain Alley. He was a faithful helper at the Hope Haven Wheelchair Ministry and a member of Kiwanis. He gave blood whenever he had the opportunity. Family time was important to Dwight, and he thought any celebration was made better with a DQ ice cream cake.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 55 years, Jan Bakker, of Hull; a daughter and her husband, Jill and Ben Christoffels, of Okoboji; a son and his wife, Nathan and Chanda Bakker, of Hull; six grandchildren, Danielle, Lauren and Alexa Christoffels; and Kyra, Japen, and Jasmine Bakker; four brothers and their wives, Randy and Donna Bakker, of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Mark and Teresa Bakker, of Urbandale; Jon and Corinne Bakker, of Overland Park, Kansas; and John and Darla Oostendorp, of Zeeland, Michigan; two brothers-in-law, Eldon Dyk, of Aurora, Colorado; and Bob Dyk, and his wife, Marli, of Spokane, Washington.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his stepmother, Thelma Bakker; his parents-in-law, John and Grace Dyk; and a sister-in-law, Connie Dyk.

Memorials will be given to the Western Christian High School in Hull.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.