Doris Dykstra

Doris Beighton Dykstra of North Fort Myers, Florida, formerly a long-time resident of Waltham Massachusetts, passed away at her home Sunday evening, October 24th, 2021 with her family at her side at the age of 104.

Doris was born May 16, 1917 in Nottinghamshire, England, the 7th child of German Beighton and Martha Ann Bond. She lost her father and paternal grandfather to the Spanish flu in 1918.

Throughout her lifetime she enjoyed her passion of motorcycle riding. Doris began riding at 18 years old when she secretly learned to ride her brother’s Ariel Square Four 500cc in slacks fashioned by her mother. At 5’2” and barely 100 pounds, she had to put it up on the stand to kick it up and then drive it off. A young woman in pants tooling around Nottinghamshire, England on a motorbike was surely an unusual sight. In 1931 she took the special driving test necessary for obtaining a motorcycle license and bought her own red Panther 250cc.

When World War II broke out, she was drafted to work for Birmingham Small Arms as a dispatch rider carrying money, diamonds used to cut gun barrels, and instructions between seven factories. She was supplied a BSA 600cc with a sidecar and transported a box containing antitank gun barrels between factories. It was on one of these trips where she was surprised to see Clark Gable, grinning and staring at her while he hung out of the back of a U.S. Army truck. He was visiting the U.S. Army Hospital recently set up to aid the war effort, the same hospital where she met her future American husband, Corporal George Dykstra. After moving to the United States in 1947, she has continued to enjoy riding with her son, nephews, and grandson whenever she had the chance, including at her 100th birthday bash when Harley Davidson sent a representative who took her on a ride that she thoroughly enjoyed.

After emigrating to the U.S., she earned her citizenship and worked in production and quality control at the Waltham Watch Company and Waltham Precision Instrument Company while raising two children, Valerie and Terry. She was a member of the Emmanuel Methodist Church and had many friends and fond memories of her life in Waltham.

At retirement, she and her husband George moved to North Fort Myers, FL where she enjoyed life on the canal; boating, fishing, gardening, her pets and her family.

Predeceased by her husband George in 1999 and son, Terence Beighton Dykstra in 2013, she is survived by her daughter Valerie LaPlante and husband, Paul Edward Smith. Grandchildren include Deanna Smith, Jessica Dykstra, Paul John Smith, Alexander Karl Smith and their families. Great grandchildren: Adrianna and Kyle Swanson, Raenna Smith, and Alexander Elijah Smith. Great-great grandchildren Anna, Abby, and Ally Swanson. In addition, she is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family and close friends both in the United States, Canada, and in England.

Due to our care and concern for family members and friends, funeral services and burial will be private with a celebration of life to be announced.