Longtime Crookston resident, Gertrude Dykstra, age 102, passed away Friday, August 20, 2010, at the Riverview Care Center in Crookston. Gertrude was born in Jud, North Dakota, October 29, 1907 to John and Clara (Fisher) Achttien, both emigrants from the Netherlands. At age ten she moved with her family to Clear Lake, Minnesota and, at age 16, to Crookston where she attended high school, graduating in 1926.
With a dream of becoming a nurse, Gertrude attended a nursing school in Chicago until her studies were interrupted by the death of her father. This event required her to return to Crookston and participate in the family business: Achttien & Son, a hardware and grocery store located at the corner of Main Street and Fletcher.
Gertrude married Ivan Dykstra on January 1, 1945, and the couple farmed for a number of years northeast of Crookston, at which time she worked at Broadway Grocery and the Woolworth store. During this period a number of young boys found a loving home through Gertrude and Ivan’s work with the Polk County foster home program. After retiring at age 65 from Woolworth’s, Gertrude, with her husband, spent many years in community service, volunteering time and resources to provide transportation to clinics, doctor appointments, and other places that were important to persons unable to drive.
A strong and uniform thread woven into Gertrude’s long life of service to her family and others was her membership in the Christian Reformed Church. She had been a member since arriving in Crookston, regularly attending services until into her late nineties. A strong Christian faith guided Gertrude throughout her life, and her sweet smile, nonjudgmental attitude, sense of humor and wit made her a delight to all who knew her.
One of eight children, Gertrude was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ivan, brothers Albert, Benjamin, Stephen, and Jacob, and sisters, Myrtle, Elizabeth, and Trenis. Gertrude leaves nieces, Carol Knutson, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Violet Peterson, Grand Forks, North Dakota, and nephews, John Achttien, Marble Fall, Texas and Donald Achttien, Sugar Land, Texas.
The funeral service for Gertrude Dykstra will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, August 27, 2010, in the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home, Crookston, with The Rev. Bill Reck, officiating. Visitation will be for one hour before the service. Internment will be in the Oakdale Cemetery, Crookston, Minnesota.
