Adrian C. "Poppy" van Dyk ’44, died peacefully at his home in San Jose on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, surrounded by his loving family. He was 88 years old. He was born in Lewiston, Idaho, on Sept. 6, 1921, to Adrian M. van Dyk and Francine (Zuur) van Dyk, and is preceded in death by his brother Vic van Dyk and his sister Rita Williams. He attended Lewiston High School and upon graduation he boarded a train and headed south to California where he enrolled at Santa Clara University. His time there was interrupted by World War ll. He served in the Navy touring the Pacific aboard a Marines supply munitions ship, the USS Betelgeuse. In 1945, during a two week docking in San Francisco, he married his childhood sweetheart, Rose Stenstrom. Following his service in the Navy, he ultimately graduated from SCU with a degree in mechanical engineering and moved on to a successful career at General Electric and the Lawrence Livermore Laboratories working on national defense related projects. Adrian’s most enjoyable activities included the annual ‘extended’ family camping trips on the North Coast, fishing and golf outings, traveling abroad with mom, yearly vacations in Maui, and numerous volunteering stints. Above all else his main focus and devotion was always family first. From the numerous baptisms, surprise 13th birthdays, Holy Communions, graduations, school plays, and weddings, he was always there to bless them. He is survived by his best friend and loving wife Rose of 65 years, and his devoted children: Bill (Margi Sullivan) van Dyk, Karen Pelosi, John (Margaret) van Dyk, Pam (Dan) Ross, Kitty (Bob) Dixon, Adrianne (Dave) Brown, Janet (Dan) Kirby, Sally (Mark) McGourty, Sueanne (Nick) Gera, Bob (Rhonda) van Dyk, and Rosemary (Mike) Lyons. Poppy, as he is affectionately called, will be greatly missed by his grandchildren: Julie (Tom) Pelosi Malech, PJ (Tazia) Pelosi, and John (Janine) Pelosi; Elizabeth and Stefanie van Dyk; Meghan Dixon, Amy (Lance) Dixon Munselle, and Matt Dixon; Katie (Bo) Brown Peevey, and Jenni Brown; Dana, Dan, Scotty, and Laura Kirby; Kyle, Nick, and Alex McGourty; Marianne, Marko, and Klara Gera; Trevor and Kari van Dyk; and Kelly, Michael, and Jamie Lyons. And last but not least his great-grandchildren; Hudson, Presley, and Harrison Malech, and Merrill Rose Pelosi.