Darcy Stielstra
Our beloved Darcy Stielstra, 77, passed away on January 15th, 2024, surrounded by close family.
He loved the rivers and forests of Michigan and the mountains and waves of Alaska, especially Kodiak Island, where he watched the sun come up over his boat for twenty-eight years.
Darcy lives on in his wife, Marilyn Kreta; his daughter, Megan; his sons Tim, Greg, and Tom; and his grandchildren Caleb, Olive, Nico, Elijah, and Isabel. He counted himself lucky to be part of two large, close-knit families, and cherished his brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends.
Darcy was born on February 25, 1946, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Peter and Marian Stielstra, and grew up in Hartford, Michigan, with his siblings Patricia, Mike, Sally, Chuck, and Scott. After graduating from Central Michigan University, he served his country as an officer in Germany and Vietnam before settling back in Michigan to raise his daughter, who remembers many weekends flipping over canoes on the Shiawassee River.
A lifelong educator, he taught sixth grade while earning a Master’s in public school administration and served for over a decade as the principal of Beach Middle School in Chelsea, a community he dearly loved.
A memorial service will take place at 4 pm AKST on January 24th at St. James the Fisherman Episcopal Church, 421 Thorsheim Street, Kodiak.
For the full obituary, please click here.
