Gary John Van Dyke

DELRAY BEACH _ Gary Van Dyke, known to his friends and neighbors as Van, died as a result of a cycling accident on Dec. 21 at Delray Medical Center.

Van Dyke, 67, was born to Harvey and Elaine Van Dyke in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Jan. 23, 1958. He was the second of three sons, including older brother Keith and younger brother Phil.

Van Dyke was involved in athletics his entire life. He played basketball at Spring Lake High School in Spring Lake, Mich., from which he graduated in 1976, and went on to earn a Bachelors of Science and Education in 1980 from Hope College in Holland, Mich.

In 1980 he went to work for the U.S. government in the Vista program, which promoted wind and solar alternative energy, in the eastern Oregon town of LaGrande. From there he did substitute teaching while also working at Dos Amigos restaurant in Whitefish, Montana.

He began a lengthy teaching career at Danbury High School in Danbury, Texas, then moved on to Park City High School in Park City, Utah. He was a science teacher at both places.

He interviewed with Club Med while in Park City and took a job as sailing instructor in Martinique.

He moved to Florida in 1985 and finally put roots down as a science teacher at Coconut Creek High School in Pompano Beach, where he remained for more than 20 years. He then moved on to Spanish River High School in Boca Raton for another 10 years.

While at Coconut Creek he was involved in coaching a multitude of sports including cross country, boys and girls basketball, track, and boys and girls volleyball.

He was also an avid sportsman throughout his life, buying one of the first windsurfer boards sold in Michigan in 1976. The sport took him to such far-flung spots as Hawaii, the Caribbean, the Midwest and the Hood River in Oregon. He was also very involved in cycling, paddleboarding, kayaking and hiking. He did several long-distance bicycle adventures spanning hundreds of miles. He spent one summer as a camp counselor in New Hampshire teaching sailing and waterskiing.

A constant companion in his later years was his pet beagle Toby. They were often seen together on his boat on south Palm Beach County waterways including Lake Ida, Lake Eden and the E-4 canal, where Toby’s passion was chasing iguanas.

He was a canal side resident of the Boynton Beach development of Golfview Harbour since 2001.

Van Dyke was predeceased by his parents is survived by his two brothers as well sisters-in-law Jesse Van Dyke and Jill Van Dyke, niece Julia Van Dyke and her husband Andrew, nephew Ben Van Dyke and his wife Brooke and son Crew, and nephew Jake Van Dyke and his wife Chrissie, and great nieces Chazlyn and Amira and great nephew Orion.

Donations is Mr. Van Dyke’s honor may be made to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton.