Dirk Dijkstal, M.D.

Dirk Dijkstal, M.D., 69, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, passed away Saturday, February 6, 2016, at the Davis Hospice Center with his family by his side. Dr. Dijkstal was born November 17, 1946, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, son of the late Johannes and Johanna Alberdina (Dekker) Dijkstal. Dr. Dijkstal attended the University of Amsterdam from 1966-72 and earned a medical doctorate from the university in 1974. From 1974-75, he served as a Lieutenant in the Army of The Netherlands and from 1975-77 he worked as a ship's physician on Holland American Cruise Line. In 1978, he was the physician on an oil rig in the Gulf of Aden. He later completed a general surgery internship in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. In 1979, he finished an internal medicine internship in Washington, DC, and his ophthalmology residency from 1980-83 at the Downstate Medical Center in New York. From 1983-84, he worked as an oculoplastic fellow at the Boston Eye Research Institute. He moved to Cheyenne where he worked as an ophthalmologist at the Cheyenne Eye Clinic from 1984-2012. He was also a member of the American Board of Ophthalmology. He was proud to become an American Citizen in 2013. Dr. Dijkstal is survived by his wife, Denise Dijkstal of Cheyenne; three children, Haydeé Dijkstal of Den Haag, The Netherlands and husband, Michael Sullivan of Washington DC, Johanna Beebe, M.D. and husband, Nathaniel, of Iowa City, IA, and Dirk Dijkstal and wife, Katie (Schum), of Cheyenne; a brother, Dr. Joost Dijkstal and wife, Hanneke, of Apeldoorn, The Netherlands; and two grandchildren, Theodore Dijkstal Beebe and Madeline Piper Beebe. Dr. Dijkstal was a beloved father, grandfather, husband and physician. His kind, gentle manner and his endearing Dutch humor were a gift to us all. He was a man of amazing character and commitment to his friends, family and patients. To allow time for travel, a Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated on Saturday, March 5, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Mary's Cathedral with Father August Koeune as celebrant. An inurnment service will follow at the St. Mary's Columbarium. Cremation is under the care of Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home.

Service

Saturday, March 5, 2016 1:00pm

St. Mary's Cathedral

2101 Central Ave.

CHEYENNE, WY

Interment

St. Mary's Columbarium

Cheyenne

CHEYENNE, WY 82001