Obituary of Ralph Richard Dykstra DYKSTRA, Ralph Richard | November 30, 1965 – June 15, 2017 On Thursday, June 15, 2017, surrounded by those he loved most, Ralph entered the restoring embrace of His Heavenly Father. Ralph was the cherished husband and very best friend of Kathryn (Kate, née Bryan) and devoted father of Erin, John (Jack) and Peter. He will be remembered fondly by his parents, mother-in-law, siblings, brothers- and sisters-in-law, as well as his many nieces and nephews and their families. Ralph will be deeply missed by his colleagues and students at Lindsay Collegiate Vocational Institute where he had enjoyed teaching and coaching since 1991. Ralph loved to spend free time on his bicycle, and especially enjoyed regular cycles on the Rotary Trail. His summers were spent swimming, biking and running as he trained for and competed in local triathlons. Ralph will be remembered most for his joy in living and his ever-present positive attitude which persisted until the end of his days here on earth. Heartfelt thanks are offered to Dr. Beamish and the Palliative Care Team at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, as well as to nurses Lauren, Linda and Kelly and PSW Terri of St. Elizabeth, whose compassion, care and support allowed Ralph to fulfill his wish to die at home. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, June 23, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Cephas Christian Reformed Church on Goodfellow Road in Peterborough, Ontario. Family and friends whose lives have been touched by Ralph are invited to make a donation in his memory to Trish's Wish (www.trishswish.org) or the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program (www.kawarthakomets.com). To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ralph Dykstra, please visit Tribute Store