JOE DEKKER

Funeral Services: Visitation will be on Wednesday, 3/8 from 5-7 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue on Thursday, 3/9 from 9:30-10:30 a.m., followed by the funeral at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in the spring at the Finley Cemetery. Joseph Omar Dekker died on March 2, 2017 at his home. He was born in Northwood, ND on January 19, 1947 to Omar and Dorothy Dekker. He attended Finley Public School, graduating in 1965 and went onto graduate from Mayville State University in 1970. He married Barbara Anderson on March 8, 1969 in Finley, ND. They went on to teach together in Lakota, ND and then back in Finley. When Barb’s father offered him the chance to farm, he jumped at it and remained farming until his death. Joe was a wonderful man who made everyone around him laugh. That was the resounding sentiment made when those who knew him heard of his passing. He brought his humor and good spirits to every facet of his life in North Dakota. Joe loved North Dakota- farming the land, raising animals, fishing and golfing. A favorite pastime was the Sunday drives with Barb, checking out the crops and old barns dotting the landscape. In good times and bad, he never swayed from loving his life as a farmer. Standing out in the field, watching a big storm rolling in, would have been a perfect self-portrait. Punctuating his sense of humor was the often-made practical joke. He played these without discrimination to the young and the old, often employing costumes and props. Sleepovers ended in screams with stories of the “tree people” or branches scratching on the playhouse window and ghost sightings on the farm were a common thread of conversation at the dinner table. As his family grew into adulthood, late night card games (he always came out ahead and always made everyone pay up at the end of the night!), pool tournaments and dates at the Pizza Shop were standards everyone looked forward to during gatherings. More than anything, Joe was a very generous and incredibly loving father and grandfather. He never failed to show up for anything his daughters needed, and his eyes lit up when a grandchild entered the room. A curmudgeon on the surface, he turned into putty when he held one of his grandchildren. He was a great friend who was always available. He put himself out to help those he loved and worked so hard his whole life to benefit his family. He was a wonderful man and he will be missed terribly and everyday. Joe is survived by his wife, Barb of Finley, children Kari Crawford of Finley, Nicole (Landon Brown) Dekker of Brooklyn, NY, Mendi (Jaden) Blake of Fargo, ND, and Jeana (Jeremy) Cost of Denver, CO, grandchildren Joe Crawford, Elsie and Owen Cost, and Harper, Hadley and Harlow Blake. He is also survived by siblings Ben (Carolyn) Dekker of Sharon, ND, Peg (Dave) Muylaert of Anoka, MN, and Jack (Debbie) Dekker of Grand Forks, ND. He was preceded in death by his parents Omar and Dorothy Dekker, brother Nick, and son-in-law Todd Crawford.