David Van Dyken rose on the wings of the morning, Sunday, July 26, on his father's birthday, to meet his parents Sam and Angelina (Van Wyk) Van Dyken and loved ones who preceded him to heaven. He died of Covid 19 at St. Joseph's Medical Center, Stockton.
David is a native of Ripon. He suffered from cerebral palsy his entire life, despite relentless efforts by his parents to make progress against it. For the past several decades David resided at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Stockton, where he was loved by staff and his neighbors there alike. When a resident would wander outside, he was known to chase them in his electric wheelchair to assure they didn't get into trouble. During birthday and Christmas celebrations, he enjoyed showering them with favors and gifts.
David loved Jesus, his parents, his family, his friends, and his beloved Dallas Cowboys, a source of great needling from his Seahawks family. Confined to a wheelchair since age 40, he showed us sweet acceptance, always a smile, a chuckle and a wonderfully playful sense of humor with inside jokes for everyone within his universe. David is a graduate of the former Tommy Tucker School that his parents helped found in Ripon for disabled students. For several years he attended Elim Christian School in Crestwood, Illinois, and Rainbow Acres in Camp Verde, Arizona, where he was able to ride and feed the horses and operate power tools until a fall at age 40 put him into a wheelchair. David had several medals from competing in the Special Olympics and loved to go camping and on picnics. He so enjoyed playing pranks on family members, like hiding their dessert when they weren’t looking, and then laughing his head off when they found it was missing.
David is finally free of the shackles that bound him for 73 years here on earth. Yet, he is sorely missed by his brother Roger (Marlene) Van Dyken, Lynden, WA, and sisters Marylee (Dale) Bell, Scottsdale, AZ; Cynthia (John) Ward, Klaipeda, Lithuania; Connie (JC) Hoag, Lynden,WA; Laurel (Charles) Rossi, Everson, WA; his Aunt Nell Van Wyk (Jim) Gerber, Modesto; and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and their children, who loved Uncle David unconditionally and deeply.
In lieu of flowers the family requests remembrances be sent in his honor to Elim Christian Services, 13020 S Central Ave, Crestwood, IL 60418 https://www.elimcs.org/ or
Rainbow Acres, 2120 W Reservation Loop Rd, Camp Verde, AZ https://rainbowacres.com/ These were two of David‘s favorite places, where he spent many wonderful years.
A memorial service in Ripon will be scheduled at a later time when Covid status permits.
To all who knew and loved him, David would smile broadly and say, as he always did, “Bubbye!”