John Fakkema Obituary - Oak Harbor, Washington | Wallin-Stucky Funeral Home

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Obituary for John Maynard Fakkema

John Maynard  Fakkema
John Maynard Fakkema died suddenly at Peace Health Hospital, Bellingham on September 26, 2016 at the age of 86. He was born in Oak Harbor on August 3, 1930 to Chris and Della (Rientjes) Fakkema. John attended Oak Harbor High School, where he enjoyed playing basketball. He graduated with the Class of 1948.

John’s first job was working on the narrow-gauge railroads in Alaska with Jim Rientjes. 18 months of Alaska convinced John to return to the Northwest. John decided to further his education, so he attended Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa and then to Lynden and two more years at Western Washington State College.

John was married to Joyce Heeringa in Lynden on June 22, 1956. John was hired as a teacher at Lynden Christian School. Eventually, he and Joyce decided to move to Oak Harbor, where John was hired as a teacher at the Oak Harbor Christian School for three years.

John was always looking for opportunities to better support his family and he bought into the Anacortes Co-op Plywood Mill as a shareholder, working there for the next five years. He also began operation of a Commercial Gillnetter on the waters of Puget Sound, a job he truly loved.

In 1967, John was hired by the Oak Harbor School District as school bus driver and over the next 30 years, John advanced through the district to the position of Transportation Supervisor and eventually to Director of Transportation, Maintenance and Security, retiring in 1996. Following retirement, John and Joyce enjoyed being Snowbirds, spending their winters at El Mirage, Arizona

John was very much involved in his community. He was a Life Member of the First Reformed Church of Oak Harbor, serving on Consistory and the Board of Elders, a member of the Whidbey Golf & Country Club, Oak Harbor Navy League, served 16 years on the Board of Trustees for Northwestern College, spent 12 years on the Oak Harbor City Council and many years as President of the Swantown Water District.

John is survived by his wife of 60 years, Joyce and by four children and their spouses: Robin Scott Fakkema of Mt. Vernon. Ranae Rose VandenBergh and Pieter of Pensacola, FL, Karla Joy Keyes and Roswell of Bellingham and Jay Brent Fakkema, also of Bellingham. Two brothers and their spouses, Chuck and Marlene Fakkema and Robert and Susan Fakkema, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren also survive

Family graveside services for John Fakkema will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at 11:30am at Maple Leaf Cemetery, Oak Harbor. A Celebration of Life will follow at 12:30pm at the Oak Harbor First Reformed Church with Pastor Matt Waite officiating with a reception to be held in Wezeman Hall. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 30, 2016 from 4:00 to 6:00pm at Wallin Funeral Home, Oak Harbor.

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Affiliations


Navy League of United States

Oak Harbor School District

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