- Date Of Birth: May 8, 1930
- Date Of Death: December 21, 2019
- State: Pennsylvania
Bill Tjietze Remmert Ytsma, R.A., 89, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA, died on Saturday, December 21, 2019 in his home. He was the husband of the late Itie (Velds) Ytsma, who died on January 3, 2018. Born 1930 in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, he was the son of the late Pieter and Doetje (Bontekoe) Ytsma. Bill graduated from the Delft Technological University with a Masters Degree in Architecture. He married Itie in 1955 and they emigrated to Oklahoma City with their first son in 1957. There Bill worked for the architectural/engineering firm of Hudgins, Thompson & Ball. After two more sons and one daughter, the Ytsma family moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1964 where Bill worked 26 years for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation as Chief Architect, Project Engineer, and Research Engineer. He was a Registered Architect and a member of the American Institute of Architects.
Bill was passionate about instilling the sense of wonder within his family about all the natural beauty and history that both the United States and Canada had to offer. This was done through tent camping trips to Yellowstone, California, Florida, and across the southern part of Canada to Vancouver and back along the northern section of the US.
Even after his retirement from Bethlehem Steel, Bill continued his architectural design work and consulting into his 80’s. Also during this time, he took up woodcarving and created many artistic caricature carvings.
Survivors: Bill is survived by his sons, Pieter, Powell (Kathy), daughter, Donita (Andrew Marze), daughter-in-law, Judith Parr, grandchildren, Nicholas, Michael, Jaclyn, Cory, Paige, Anthony, Willem, Julie, Caroline, Hannah, Matthew, and four great-grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his son, Patrick, and his wife of 62 years, Itie.
Services: Private and at the convenience of the family.
