Wendall Lee Zylstra, better known as Wink, was born on Mar. 26, 1935, in a farmhouse near Lynnville. He was the fifth of seven children born to Paul and Gertie (Vanden Hoek) Zylstra. Wink attended a country school and graduated from Pella Christian High School. He was drafted into the United States Army in March of 1958 and then married Dorothy “Dot’’ Gosselink in May of that year. He was schooled in radio-teletype in Augusta, GA, that summer and then spent the next two years in Gelnhausen, Germany. Their first son, Michael Lee, was born in Frankfurt, Germany. Dot and Wink also welcomed Lorette Lynn and Ronald Joe to their family.
Owner and operator of Wendall L. Zylstra Trucking Inc., Wink pulled trailers for Macy Stockyards, Lynnville Transport, and Sully Transport for 44 years before retiring in 2001.
Although he loved trucking, he enjoyed his retirement years. He and Dot vacationed all over the U.S., often on motorcycle or with their camper. They volunteered for CRWRC Rebuild for six weeks each year, repairing homes damaged by natural disasters. They loved the warm, semi-tropical winters of Trophy Gardens Resort in far south Texas and eventually made their home there. God made Wink to see the need in others and be quick to help. He led the Trophy Garden bike club, tended the Trophy Garden Memorial rose garden, and was a friend to all. He could be found on the golf course, in the pool, hiking the nature trails along the Rio Grande, on the shuffleboard court, or on the dance floor, but always worshipping God in church on Sunday mornings. He had a personal, lifelong relationship with his maker.
God took Wink home to his reward on Sept. 17, 2025, at the age of 90 years at the McAllen Heart Hospital. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, and one sister, leaving Delores Van Rees and Claude Zylstra to remember him. Left to miss him are his wife, three children, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and a host of friends.
A celebration of life service will be held in Pella or Sully next summer. If you’d like to honor Wink at this time, hold your family close while you can.
