James Christopher "Jim" Van Dyke (1948-2015)

VAN DYKE, HANNAH, PAULSEN, RUDNYCKYJ, MILLER

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/22/2015 at 10:14:50

From Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care obituary, Ames, Story County, Iowa:

James Van Dyke
December 7, 1948 - July 28, 2015

James "Jim" Christopher Van Dyke was born December 7, 1948; the 2nd of two sons born to Chris & Gertrude Marie (Hannah) Van Dyke in Hampton, Iowa. He grew up on the family farm and due to this knew the value of hard work; helping his parents with daily chores while attending Hampton High School where he graduated in 1967. While working on the farm, studying for his classes he also lettered in football and track and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Jim met the love of his life, Joanne Paulsen one chilly night at a high school basketball game. He told his buddies, "I am going to marry that girl." And like so many things in Jim's life, once he set his mind to it he accomplished it. Jim and Joanne were married on August 23, 1969. Jim spent a year at Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa Falls just prior to their marriage, then headed off to Iowa State University.

After a year at Iowa State, Jim signed up for the Iowa National Guard as Viet Nam war raged. Jim and Joanne moved back to their hometown so that Joanne could be close to family while Jim was away doing his civic duty and Jim came back to farming with his parents. While he was away at boot camp at Fort Polk, Louisiana, Robert James Van Dyke was born, October 1, 1970. The young family farmed with Jim's father until 1984, when the farm crisis hit their farm along with so many others. Jim made the decision that it was time for him to complete the degree that he started so many years before and once again setting his mind to it, he moved his family to Ames Iowa and Iowa State University where he completed his degree in Management Information Systems in 1986.

After completing his degree, Jim was very busy with many different business ventures offering computer consulting and networking to many different businesses and organizations. One of his fondest accomplishments was his part in helping establish the computer network of the Department of Natural Resources. Jim's ability to do high quality work quickly and efficiently along with his amazing people skills had him in high demand, with that in mind the business of Van Dyke Computers and Consulting was created in 1999. This new venture included his son, Rob and Jim mentioned how proud and happy he was that he had this opportunity to work so closely every day with his son. The business has morphed into the current day ICS Advanced Technologies, which is now is in its fourteenth year with 43 employees. Jim was a proud entrepreneur who knew what it was to succeed, fail, get back up and succeed again. He was a strong, fun man; a straight shooter who gave his best.

Jim was a member of the Ames Elks Lodge, the Ames Moose Lodge where he was a past Governor, A former member of the Morning Club in Des Moines and cherished the many friends he met through these organizations.

Family was always the most important thing to Jim and he rarely missed a family gathering if he could help it. The light of his life was his granddaughter Hannah. Jim shared many of his favorite things with his loved ones and has shared his passion for bike riding and swimming with Hannah. Among Jim's many passions were pedal biking, motorcycling, photography, as is shown by the thousands of pictures on his computer, camping, cooking, golfing, cheering on the Cyclones and spending time with friends and family. Jim worked hard and played hard.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Chris and Gertrude Van Dyke and his niece, Erin Van Dyke.

Left to remember and celebrate his life are his wife, Joanne; his son Rob and wife Katina of Ames; his precious granddaughter Hannah; brother Doug & wife Vicky of Boone, brother-in-law Dick Paulsen and his wife Sharon of Hampton; nephews Jason Van Dyke, Rich and Ron Paulsen, nieces Anissa Rudnyckyj and Jessica Miller, his friends, and his precious work family at ICS and the rest of you who knew and cared for Jim. May he rest in peace.

A gathering of friends and family will be 2- 5:00 p.m. Sunday Aug 2, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care 414 Lincoln Way in Ames with a funeral at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug 3, at First United Methodist Church 6th and Kellogg in Ames.

Online condolences may be directed to: www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com

http://www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com/
 

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