William “Pop” Dykstra died on Pentacost Sunday. He sang in the Church choir in the morning, went home and layed down to take a nap. He was 91. Bill, or “Pop” as he was better known, was a Christian gentleman in the classic sense of the word. He was the last surviving founder of the Rhode Island Dahlia Society. He served the society as a past president as well as chaplain.
Mr. Dykstra had three passions in his life: his God, his family, and his dahlias. He was a member of the Methodist Church since 1931. In retirement, he helped to build the current church structure. He was a member of the choir for 74 years, and knew most of the hymns and the Bible by memory. He was a Sunday school teacher and long-time member of the Board of Trustees. Always proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a number of his dahlias were named for them.
By profession, “Pop” was a commercial fisherman. He loved gardening and maintained a large garden of flowers and vegetables. Surplus veggies went to church on Sunday to be shared with all those who wanted them.
One of Pop’s passions was developing new dahlia varieties. He developed 12 ADS approved varieties in different categories. His varieties include: Austin’s Bo, Christiana Alexis, Alexis D., Janet’s Mum, Katrina Lee, P.H.D., and Pink Beauty. His first introduction was in 1979 and his last one was in 2001.
Many of these varieties are still actively grown and exhibited. At the Portsmouth, RI “Green Animals Topiary Garden” there is a special section devoted to dahlias. It is co-sponsored by the RI Dahlia Society and includes several dahlias developed by Mr. Dykstra.
As an avid dahlia grower, he encouraged many individuals to grow dahlias. There are many in Rhode Island who grow and enjoy dahlias because of the efforts of Pop Dykstra. He had endless patience describing the waterlily, cactus, laciniated, formal, and other dahlia features to novice growers. Pop was a long time exhibitor of dahlias throughout the Northeast with many placing in the “Court of Honor” in shows.
For the last 35 years of his life, his thin and frail appearance deceived people. He would work at a steady pace and outlast individuals 25 – 30 years his junior. Landscaping the church, he led the way in planting and mulching, climbing into the back of his truck to fork out the material. Building the new church, he carried 2 by 4s, sawed, hammered, put in ceilings, and painted like any 35-year-old construction worker.
Everyone who knew Bill “Pop” Dykstra benefited from his example of how life should be lived.
{ Submitted by Walt Taylor (as printed in the September 2007 Bulletin of the American Dahlia Society)
