Gale Eugene Van Diest, age 93, passed away at home on July 5, 2022, with his family by his side. Gale was born in 1929 in his grandfather’s house in Lynden, Washington, to John and Tress Van Diest. He liked to tell people: “I was born and then the whole world went into depression.”
He lived on the family farm until they moved to Chicago in 1943 for his father John to attend Moody Bible Institute. Gale graduated from high school there and attended night school at the Moody Bible Institute.
In 1948, the family moved to Portland, Oregon where his parents founded the Portland Rescue Mission. Gale attended Multnomah School of the Bible where he met his wife, Dorothy Jean Noren. It was here that Gale first heard about mission work in Alaska. Afterwards, he took a missionary medical course at Biola University and earned his licensed vocational nurse certificate.
In 1952, Gale and Dorothy were married. In 1954, they moved to Alaska with their infant son Marty with Arctic Missions. They would go on to serve the Lord in the Athabascan village of Holikachuk for the next 12 years. While in the village, their second son “Davy” died in Gale’s arms at just 16 months. Not a day went by where Gale did not think of Davy. He looked forward to seeing him in paradise.
Three children followed: Jeannette, Joanne and Mark. The Van Diests moved on to Victory High School in 1967. Gale would serve as the director for the next six years while welcoming one more son: Jay. Gale loved working with youth, teaching Sunday school and leading youth groups for many years.
In 1971, Gale moved to the Arctic Bible Institute. In 1982, he became the field director for the mission. Gale served 33 years in the field with Arctic Missions, later renamed Interact Ministries. In 1987, the Van Diests moved back to the lower 48 for Gale to serve as the general director. After serving in that capacity for eight years, he went on to serve as director emeritus at Interact Ministries and on the board of the Trout Creek Bible Camp.
In 1999, Gale and Jean moved to Mossyrock, Washington. Gale served Shoestring Valley Church as an interim pastor and as an elder for many years. As an elder, Gale was the liaison between the church and Young Life in Onalaska. Upon moving back to Washington, he remarked that when he left at 13 he never imagined he wouldn’t move back for 56 years.
Gale was fond of saying: “God is sovereign, He loves me, therefore I can trust Him.” For much of his life he would read a daily chapter from Proverbs. Later in life, he would post a daily proverb on social media.
In June of 2022, Gale and Jean celebrated 70 years of marriage. Gale was an ordained minister and performed the weddings of all of his children and many of his grandchildren.
Gale was preceded in death by his parents John and Tress and his son Davy. He is survived by his beloved wife Jean, sister Fae Singletary, brother John (Diane), and children Marty (Grace), Jeannette (Paco) Portillo, Joanne (Kevin) McCurry, Mark (Lorri) and Jay (Susan), as well as 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Gale was buried at Shoestring Cemetery in Onalaska, Washington. A memorial service will be held on Aug. 6, 2022 at 1 p.m. in the Mossyrock High School Multipurpose Room located at 295 Williams St. in Mossyrock.
Cattermole's Funeral Home handled the burial at Shoestring Cemetery on July 7, 2022.
