July 30, 1929 – February 22, 2021

John J. Hoekman, 91, entered glory on February 22, 2021. A 45-year resident of Salem, Oregon, John will be remembered as always putting faith in the Lord first. He was a devoted husband and father, served his community and his country, was dedicated and hard-working in all of his vocations, and found great joy in gardening, reading, and being in the fellowship of others.

John was born July 30, 1929, to Dirk and Lena (Wynia) Hoekman in Tuthill, South Dakota. He was the eldest of 11 children, and was raised on his family farm in Slayton, Minnesota.

In 1951, John was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Korean conflict with the 980th Field Artillery, 40th Division from 1951-1953. As a combat veteran, John earned the Korean service medal, two bronze service stars, and the United Nations Service Medal.

After returning home, John married Grace Docter on August 21, 1953, fulfilling a promise he had made to her before leaving for war service. They bought their farm in Edgerton, Minnesota, and were blessed with eight daughters.

In 1976, John and Grace moved to the promised land of Salem, Oregon, where they enjoyed the milder climate of the Pacific Northwest. John left farming and utilized his dairy experience to begin a successful 34-year career as a feed consultant with several companies: Mayflower, Darigold, Land O’Lakes, and Kropf’s Blue Ribbon Feed. Much to the chagrin of his competitors, John was one of the best at what he did and made many friends and loyal customers for life.

On May 2, 1985, John’s beloved wife of 31 years, Grace, passed away from cancer. John was a very social person and missed companionship. In 1986, John was introduced to Karen Bjornstad through mutual friends. They were married on June 26, 1986, in Eugene, Oregon. John adopted Karen’s two daughters and loved them as his own.

One of John’s greatest disappointments in life was that he was not able to attend college and medical school to become a physician due to family obligations on the farm. Education was important to him, and he provided private education for all of his daughters along with the opportunity of university or beyond.

He is survived by eight daughters, 19 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren from his first marriage and two daughters and four grandchildren from his second marriage.

He was predeceased by his parents, Dirk and Lena Hoekman; his wife Grace Docter; his siblings, Richard, Helene Rush, and Paul; his brothers-in-law, Marion Bomgaars and Don Lay; and his son-in-law Roger Kraker.