Loren J. Dykstra
Loren J. Dykstra passed away on Thursday, October 16, 2008. Read Mr. Dykstra’s obituary on mlive.com.
A Grand Rapids native, Loren graduated from Calvin College and the University of Michigan Law School. In 1992, he completed a thirty-five year career in various management positions in the claim department of the Allstate Insurance Co. and retired at the end of 1992, moving from the Chicago area. Seeking relief from the almost continuous roar of jumbo jets landing and taking off from O’Hare Field and the snarls of Chicago auto traffic congestion, he and his wife sought the very qualities of life that Kalamazoo had to offer.
Following a near life-long practice of frequent library patronage, he and his wife soon became acquainted with the extensive offerings of the Kalamazoo Public Library and its cheerful, helpful, competent staff. The library became one of the cultural roots that quickly bound them to the Kalamazoo community. Loren sought to return by his board service some of the benefits the library bestowed on him and his (deceased) wife. He found service to the library most gratifying.