Jerry Hoekstra

JERRY HOEKSTRA
was born to Edwin and Evelyn (Swanson) Hoekstra on December 9, 1939 in Rock Rapids, Iowa where he was raised and attended school. After his graduation from Central Lyon High School in Rock Rapids in 1957, he entered the United States Air Force on July 1, 1957 and was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. After his discharge from the service in 1961, he returned to Rock Rapids. A short time later, he moved to Bellflower, California where he owned and operated a landscaping business. Two years later, he returned to Rock Rapids and worked at the Vet Clinic there. On August 14, 1965, he was united in marriage to Karen Duggan in Reno, Nevada. Following their marriage, they moved to Livermore, California where Jerry was employed as a journeyman lineman by Pacific Gas and Electric. In September, 1966, they moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Jerry worked for Maguire Iron Preserving Company repairing and maintaining television, radio and water towers. In 1974, he became employed by Winter Construction in Watertown, South Dakota. After one year, he transferred to Pipestone, Minnesota to continue working for Winter Construction. In 1976, he became self employed with a business called Mid-America Pipe Cleaning Company which cleaned sewer and water lines for municipalities and commercial businesses. He later incorporated water tower repair and maintenance work with this business. In January, 1984, he fell from a water tower in Missouri. Because of his medical condition after his accident, he started trucking and continued trucking until his retirement in 2004. On Saturday, October 8, 2011, Jerry died at the Pipestone County Medical Center at the age of 71 years, nine months and 29 days.

During the winter months, Jerry enjoyed traveling west, especially to Washington and California. He liked golfing as well as fishing and motorcycling.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Karen Hoekstra of Pipestone, Minnesota; four children, Brett Drinkwine and his wife Elizabeth of Yorba Linda, California, Perry Hoekstra and his wife Heidi of Lakeville, Minnesota, Cory Hoekstra of Pipestone, Minnesota, and Nicole Hoekstra and her husband Brian Bakke of Anacortes, Washington; eight grandchildren; and one brother, Glen Hoekstra of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was preceded in death by his parents; and an infant sister, Diane.