On July 24, 2010 Douwe Dykstra passed peacefully on to glory surrounded by family at his home. Douwe was born August 18, 1936 in Zuidhorn, Netherlands. He was the first born son of Andreas Dijkstra and Kunje Tillema. From 1942 -1948 he went to primary school, followed by two years of Mulo School. He went on to four years of Agriculture college. In 1954 he became a communication specialist with the Royal Netherlands Air Force. He was stationed at Leeuwarden Air Force Base; working in the watch tower. After military service he worked on the family farm (dairy and crop) in Zuidhorn. In the early sixties, while he was part of an exchange program, he worked on a farm in Ontario, Canada. Afterwards he and a friend traveled westward through Canada and also visited the Dykstra family in Mount Vernon, WA, who had immigrated a few years earlier. In 1964 he married the love of his life, Anna Spriensma. Two months later they immigrated to Washington. Douwe was a member of the 1st CRC in Mount Vernon where he served as a Deacon. He also served on the school board of Mount Vernon Christian School. He was also a member of the Men's Society at First CRC in Mount Vernon. Douwe worked various jobs before starting his own dairy farm in Bay View. The family moved to Burlington in 1972 to what is now the family farm. Douwe was a pioneer in the organic industry. He started with row crops in 1989, and in 2004 he became the first Organic Valley dairyman on the I-5 corridor in Washington State. Douwe and Anna had five children: Andrew (Sandra) Dykstra; Betty (Mike) Drake; Tjerk Dykstra; Kunny (Jeff) Herlickson; Donald Dykstra. Seventeen grandchildren; Chris, Trisha, Ariel, Charlie, Michael (Angela), Gloria, Tina, April, Samuel, Zachary, Rebecca, Ethan, Titus, Chris, Ashleigh, Anneke, Kaleb. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters in Holland: Mendelt (Tineke); Klaas (Roelie); Tietje (en Piet); Eyko (Grietje); Sienie; Kees (Minke); Kinske; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his lovely wife Anna in 1976. Douwe loved her dearly and held on to her for the last 34 years. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Andreas and Kunje, and his little brother Janneman. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gideons or the Art Wedig Fund. (The fund provides financial assistance to farmers who have suffered personal loss or tragedy from a disaster). Graveside services will be held at Hawthorne Memorial Park Saturday, July 31st at 10:00 AM., with a Memorial service to follow at First Christian Reform Church in Mount Vernon at 11:00 AM. Lunch Reception following.