[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 10 (Thursday, January 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E86-E87]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    GEORGE DYKSTRA: A GREAT AMERICAN

                                 ______


                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 25, 1996

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the 
life of George Dykstra, known as Mr. Sparta to people in the town he 
called home. George Dykstra lived a great American life: In good times 
and bad, he was always there to serve his family, his neighbors, and 
his country.
  Born in Fulton, IL, in 1921, George grew up in Prospect Park, NJ. He 
served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps for 7 years and received a 
Purple Heart while serving in the Pacific Theater as a sergeant during 
World War II, which included action in Guadalcanal and the Philippines. 
After the war, George finally settled down and moved to the township of 
Sparta in the heart of Sussex County, NJ. Little did George know that 
he would dedicate the next 50 years of his life to serving the citizens 
of this small, mountainous town. Whether it was the Sparta VFW Post, 
the North Jersey Midget Football League, flood victims in Wilkes Barre, 
PA, or planting flowers in front of the municipal building, George 
Dykstra was there to lead the way or just lend a helping hand. 
According to Monsignor Charles C. Cassidy, the retired pastor of Our 
Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church in Sparta, ``everything he did 
was for someone else.''
  George also made significant contributions through his service in 
municipal government. He was a member of the Sparta Township Council 
for 18 years, including four terms as mayor. It was through this venue 
that I first met George and came to know him as a straight-shooting, 
thoughtful, and caring man. Whether it was keeping tabs on the 
Superfund sight at A.O. Polymer or acting as a sounding board for local 
veterans as a valued member of my Veterans Round Table, George didn't 
tinker around the edges, he always got right to the point. He was 
someone I could trust. Sparta Councilwoman Dolores Blackburn put it 
perfectly when she said that ``he cannot be replaced. The things he did 
were well-intentioned, whether you agreed with him or not. He was our 
local color.''
  I could not possibly name all of the organizations that George 
Dykstra was involved in during his years in Sparta, he was literally a 
part of everything that went on in the town. According to Pat, his wife 
of 22 years, ``he just loved Sparta. He always wanted to stay here.'' 
David Ferguson worked along side George as Sparta's township manager 
and wholeheartedly agrees, stating that ``He is `Mr. Sparta.' I don't 
know anyone who cared more and loved Sparta more than George. He was 
the most dedicated individual I have ever known toward his community. 
He had a heart of gold and we all loved him.'' His fellow councilman, 
Michael Devine, aptly described him as ``straightforward, uncomplicated 
and reliable as a man could be.'' Sparta always counted on George to 
come through for the community and he never let them down--he was a 
sure thing.
  George Dykstra had a way with everyone--even reporters. Carole 
Hartman covered George for 4 years with the Sparta Independent and the 
New Jersey Herald and found out 

[[Page E87]]
quickly that he was not like most other politicians. ``George shot from 
the hip. The words `no comment' were not in his vocabulary.'' Of course 
covering George was no easy job, he was always on the move trying to 
beautify the town in some way or keep tabs on what was going on at 
police headquarters. And George was no stranger to controversy. As 
Carole Hartman said, ``George didn't care if he was politically 
correct. Even if you disagreed with George, you always had to realize 
that his one and only motivation was plain and simple: He only wanted 
what was best for Sparta.''
  My sympathy goes out to George's wife Pat, their 6 children, 11 
grandchildren and his 3 sisters. While we all mourn George's death, his 
family, the township of Sparta and the people that George touched in 
his lifetime should all feel a sense of pride for having known a man of 
such uncommon character. George Dykstra lived a great American life and 
his legacy will live on forever.

                          ____________________