William Dyke

William "Bill" Grant Van Dyke, beloved husband, father and friend passed away peacefully on September 5, 2014, with loving family by his side. Bill was born in Minneapolis, MN on June 30, 1945. He was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Carolyn Van Dyke, sister, Marta and brother, Peter. Bill was a native of Minnesota, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the College of Liberal Arts and a Masters of Business Administration from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. In between Bill was a Lieutenant in the United States Army artillery division stationed near the demilitarized zone in Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star for Bravery and meritorious service. In 1974 he joined Torit Corp as a financial controller, which was soon acquired by Donaldson Company. He moved through the ranks of Donaldson to become the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 1994. A few short years later he became CEO and Chairman of the Board until he retired in 2005. His dedication to business and civic engagement is evident through his passion for giving back. He served on multiple boards including Graco Inc. (1995-2014), Polaris Industries Inc. (2006-2014), Alliant Techsystems Inc. (2002-2013), Black Hills Corp. (2005-2006), and Incstar Inc. (1988-1989). He served as an executive committee member on the United Way of the Twin Cities, and as a trustee for Dunwoody College of Technology. He also served as Chair of Urban Ventures Leadership Foundation. Bill demonstrated his dedication to the University of Minnesota by serving on the Carlson School of Management's Board of Overseers including serving as Chair. In 2012 Bill created a $10 million scholarship fund for the Carlson School's MBA program to help military veterans make the transition from the battlefield to the business world, just as he did. He was inducted into the Kappa Sigma Hall of Fame in 1997 and received the University of Minnesota's Outstanding Alumni Achievement award in 2011. Bill was a real gentleman, a man of true character and integrity. He had a patient approach in both his business and personal life. He possessed great humility and treated everyone with respect. Bill was a "no frills" guy whose greatest joy was time spent at his lake home working in the yard, playing on his "man toys" and trudging through the Minnesota woods. He will be deeply missed by his family and his many great friends.


He is survived by his loving wife, Jodi Billy; his semi-loyal dog, Draco; his children: Carolyn (Grant) Evans, Colin (Liv) Van Dyke, Alex and Stephanie Van Dyke; grandchildren: Greyson Evans, Hettie, Ada, and Astrid Van Dyke.


Memorial Service September 20 at 2:00pm, River Hills United Methodist Church, 11100 River Hills Dr, Burnsville, MN 55337. Visitation one hour prior to service. Memorials to the Carlson School of Management Military Veterans Scholarship Fund, c/o University of Minnesota Foundation, P.O. Box 860266, Minneapolis, MN 55486 https://makingagift.umn.edu/onlinegiving/enterFund.do?&fundCode=8817_8817&areaCode=A_8817&ownerCode=O_8817&desc_source=UUXX_CSOM_VETS.