Colin O'Neill Dykeman

COLIN O'NEIL DYKEMAN April 21, 1922 ~ August 21, 2014 "Father, Doctor, Friend, Amazing" Colin O'Neil Dykeman was born on April 21, 1922 to Chester Albert Dykeman and Kathleen Amelia McFee Dykeman in Portland, Oregon. He had older twin sisters, Jean and Louise. He moved with his family to Vancouver, Washington in 1926, and lived in Vancouver the rest of his life. Colin attended Vancouver High School and then went on to the University of Washington. He lettered on the baseball, basketball and swimming team at UW and was a member of Phi Beta Sigma.Since World War II had started, he decided to join the Dental Corps and was trained as a corpsman at Columbia University. He served honorably as a Navy Captain of a minesweeper in the waters off the coast of Japan until the war ended in 1945. Colin completed his DMD in dental science at the Oregon Dental University. He began his private practice in dentistry in 1951. He then married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Cross, and they had two children, Jan and Neal. He practiced dentistry for over 30 years and his very first patient, Don Campbell, was also his very last patient in 1986. Colin was on the board and became the President of the Washington Dental Society because of his firm belief that dentistry should encompass as many people as possible.Colin was a member of Royal Oaks Country Club since 1951. Golf was not a hobby, but an obsession! And putting became a fine art. Besides golf, the most important things to Colin were family, gardening (the tomatoes were beyond compare!) friends, laughter, pranks, the beach, salmon fishing, bird hunting and you never wanted to meet him in a gin rummy game! Lest we not forget an avid sports enthusiast? GO HUSKIES!!One of the friendliest people you would ever meet. He seemed to know everyone in Vancouver and would delight in teasing people constantly. He would crash evenis wearing disguises and costumes, play pranks and generally have a great time. He donated his time, selflessly, to those who could not afford dental care.He was a wonderful and loving father and uncle to his children, nieces and nephews.He is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Sharon; and his two children, Jan (Bill) and Neal (Jenny); one granddaughter, Cassia (Brad); and one great-granddaughter, Charlotte.He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and the multiple people he touched with kindness, laughter, healing and love.There will be a service at First Presbyterian Church at 11:00 a.m. on September 20th. There will also be a Celebration of Life at Royal Oaks Country Club at 3:00 p.m. on September 20th.In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Colin's name to Vancouver's Share House or the Southwest Washington Humane Society."Our family would like to thank the many, many people who were a part of Colin's life. Those who knew him will always remember him. And he, I can assure you, felt blessed to have known you!"Please sign Colin's Guest Book at www.columbian.com/obits.

Colin O'Neill Dykeman

April 21, 1922 - August 21, 2014