Dirk Flietstra (1884-1966) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Dirk Flietstra was born in the northern city of Harlingen in the Netherlands on April 6, 1884. In 1905, Flietstra immigrated to the United States. Flietstra settled and worked in the farming lands of Pella, Iowa and Manhattan, Montana. While in Montana, Flietstra attended the church of Rev. James J. Holwerda. It was there that Flietstra made his confession of faith and felt the call of ministry himself. Flietstra enrolled as a seminary student at Calvin and completed his studies in 1918. Same year he graduated, Flietstra became ordained in Moline, Michigan and married Johanna Miedema. Together they had five children.

After serving the congregation of Moline, Flietstra accepted the call from Allen Avenue in Muskegon, Michigan in 1923 and they moved on to Platee, South Dakota. In South Dakota, the Flietstra family suffered through drought, locust, dust, and the Great Depression. In 1938, Flietstra once again received the call of a congregation in need of his ministry, this time in Leighton, Iowa. While in Leighton, Flietstra loss his wife Johanna. Flietstra was remarried to Agnes Tolsma. Together they had another eight children.

The last congregation Flietstra served was in Zillah, Washington. He started in 1944 and served the Zillah community until his retirement in 1950. After suffering from two strokes, Fliestra passed away in Artesia, California on October 29, 1966.