Gerrit Sterk, 91, passed peacefully into Glory at home in Everson on Tuesday, May 30. Gerrit was born on January 9, 1932 to Frank and Johanna (Tiemens) Sterk in Aurora Center, SD. He was the fourth of seven children. When he was 4, the family moved to California and a few years later, the family moved to Whatcom County to dairy farm, where they rented several farms before finally settling on the Van Buren Road. Gerrit graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in 1949, before enlisting in the Air Force during the Korean War, where he was proud of his work as parachute packer. Gerrit was an excellent athlete and competitor, first at Nooksack Valley High School, and later playing basketball competitively in the Air Force, where he was known as “Hustle” Sterk.
On October 8, 1958, Gerrit married Anna Mae Pilon. They were married for 33 years, before Anna Mae was called Home after a battle with cancer. Together, they raised 3 children, while farming and developing a prized herd of Registered Holstein Cows.
After 11 quiet years as a bachelor, Gerrit added some zest to his life and married Claudette Dykstra in 2006. Together, they shared many fun adventures and rarely missed a family celebration of their combined 14 children, many grandchildren, and even more great-grandchildren.
Gerrit was a dairyman at heart and was a longtime member of the Whatcom County Holstein Association. He enjoyed going to various Holstein shows locally and was especially proud of his Holstein “Van Buren Outlaw Debbie” whose bloodlines are still influencing Whatcom County herds.
Gerrit was a charter member of Nooksack Valley Reformed Church, where he served faithfully in various ways for over 50 years. Gerrit loved the Lord deeply, and had a quiet, strong faith that permeated every area of his life. He will be remembered as a faithful prayer warrior with a servant’s heart, always volunteering to do the dishes wherever he found himself.
Gerrit loved connecting with others, especially with his kids and grandkids. In later years, he could most often be found having coffee with friends and taking his grandkids to the Everson Auction Barn. Gerrit loved the sun, and enjoyed mowing the pasture, working in the yard, but not nearly as much as he enjoyed a shirtless nap in the lawn chair.
Gerrit was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Anna Mae, brother Martin, sisters Minnie VanderPol, Jessie Schelhaas, and Gertie Jorgensen, 3 great grandchildren and numerous in-laws.
Gerrit is survived by his wife of 16 years, Claudette, and children Nancy (Ken) Bosscher, Dean (Stephanie) Sterk, and Lori (Dale) TeVelde, Julie (Vern) Carlson, Nancy (David) Kroontje, Jim (Judy) Nace, Natalie (Rick) Seigman, Jackie (John) DeVries, Travis (Christine) Dykstra, Troy (Cary) Dykstra, Tad (Tricia) Dykstra, Tawsha (Jay) Thompson, Tyler Dykstra, and Tawnya (Marcos) Soto. Gerrit and Claudette were blessed with 52 grandchildren and 54 great grandchildren. Gerrit is also survived by sister Rickie (Prink), brother John, several in-laws and many nieces and nephews.
You are invited to join the family for visitation at Gillies Funeral Home on Thursday, June 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. Graveside Service will be at Monumenta Cemetery on Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. memorial service at Nooksack Valley Reformed Church located at 602 E. Second Street in Nooksack. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral home and Cremation Services.
