J. Dirck Stryker

J. Dirck Stryker, 88, of Arlington, MA, died November 27, after a short illness of pneumonia and complications. A beloved father and grandfather, Dirck, will be remembered fondly for his zest for life, engaging intellect, his kindness, his professional achievements, and his predilection for performing.
Born on October 11, 1936, in Honolulu, Hawaii, his parents were U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Joe Warren Stryker and his wife, Anne. He has a brother, David (USNA ’61). Dirck graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958, and served for four years. After a PhD in Economics from Columbia University, he was Professor of Economics at Yale, and the Fletcher School at Tufts University with the specialty of developmental economics in lesser developed countries.
Dirck founded Associates for International Resources and Development, a consulting firm that actualized what he taught in the classroom, especially in Africa. In the field, he had an incredible ability to connect quickly with strangers from all walks of life as well as other professionals. With his unique mix of vision and pragmatism as well as a love of Africa and Africans, his projects made a difference.
Performance was his art form. He had lead roles in a dozen or more plays with Winchester Players and Arlington Friends of the Drama. Accompanying his bass/baritone voice with guitar he solo performed and was a lead singer in small bands. For years, he sang in his church choir, more recently with Share a New Song (SANS). Always a drummer, in high school he played drums in a band. As an adult he played djembe even studying for 3 weeks with Famoudou Konate, a Master Drummer in Guinea.
An avid tennis player, Dirck enjoyed hiking, skiing, biking and sailing.
In his later years, Dirck pursued interests in politics, sociology, and urban planning, and volunteered his time to improve criminal justice and expand technical school education in Massachusetts.
As a member of Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, he taught three courses. With his great ideas and energy to implement them, he was a significant contributor to the Economic Forum Steering Committee.
He will be missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by his long-term partner, Dorothy Nash-Webber; three children, Sean, Sonia, and Colin; five grandchildren; and his brother, David. Dirck was preceded in death by his ex-wife, Floy Stryker, the mother of his three children.
The family will hold a private memorial. In the Summer, a Celebration of Life will be planned. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arlington Friends of the Drama, Share a New Song Chorus or the Winchester Unitarian Society, organizations very close to Dirck’s heart.

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