Page 1 - The Friday Flyer ● FEBRUARY 08, 2019

CANYON LAKE’S NEWSPAPER • FEBRUARY 8, 2019

Driver swims to safety after CLMS competition Installation begins on
cheer team wins fi rst new pedestrian gate

vehicle slides into lake Pg. A4 place Pg. A8 at east entrance Pg. A15

Love endures all

for CL couple

On Feb. 14, Pastor found themselves in the same Sunday
Pete and Pat Van Dyke school classes and when they were
will be celebrating their in first grade, they would hide in the
50th Valentine’s Day church kitchen’s empty cabinets so that
as a married couple. their teacher had to search for her entire
To many, 50 years is class before she could begin her lesson.
a milestone, but to When asked what their fondest
the Van Dykes it is a memory was when they were children,
blessing that goes far they both agreed that it was church
beyond five decades. picnics where they would play games,
Pastor Pete and win prizes and eat Cracker Jacks. The
Pat first met in 1947, highlight of the event was being able
when they both were to climb the pepper trees in Norwalk
only a few months Park. Pat shared that she was always
old. Pastor Pete’s impressed at Pastor Pete’s ability to
family, Sidney and climb higher than anyone else.
Patricia Van Dyke, Both Pastor Pete and Pat agree that
immigrated into the there was never a time that they first
United States from noticed one another. Each of them
the Netherlands concurs that the other one was always
when Pete was there; however, when they were 16
only a few months years old and were allowed to date,
old. At that same things changed.
time, they made As seniors in high school, Pastor Pete
the decision to asked Pat out on their first date which
attend the same consisted of the movie “Beach Party,”
church that Pat’s starring Annette Funicello and Frankie
parents, Jake and Avalon, and a box of popcorn. For each
Alice Westra, of them, it was their “first official real
attended date.” After a few months, they both
in Artesia, realized that they were more than “just
California. friends”; however, they had goals to
When Pastor Pete reach.
and Pat were only infants, Pastor Pete and Pat graduated from
their parents became good high school. Pastor Pete attended Long
friends and in good Dutch Beach State College and Pat worked as
tradition, spent many a bookkeeper in the local dairy supply
Sunday evenings visiting store for the next year. When Pastor Pete
at each other’s homes. decided to transfer to Central College in
Pastor Pete smirks as he Pella, Iowa, to begin his preparation for
remembers one visit that the ministry, Pat knew it was time for
the Westra family made her to also attend college. She convinced
to his home. Pat’s mother her parents that she really wanted a
in her usual mischievous college education and the only place to
way, wrestled 10-year- earn the proper education for a pastor’s
old Pete to the floor to wife was Central College in Pella, Iowa.
give him a kiss on his It all paid off and five years later,
cheek. Pete responded in an Pastor Pete and Pat were married in the
Pastor Pete and Pat Van expected way with a shout same church where they used to chase
Dyke met in infancy. Their of “YUCK!” to which Pat’s each other up and down the stairs after
love spans more than seven mother responded, “Someday, Sunday School. After the wedding was
decades. Next week they you’re going to call me ‘Mom!’” Pete’s over, Pat’s mother did remind Pastor
will celebrate their 50th reply was, “I’ll never marry that witch Pete that he did “marry that witch of
Valentine's Day as a married of yours!” mine!”
couple. As children, Pastor Pete and Pat uuCONTINUED PAGE A12