A memorial service was held Thursday for longtime U.S. Army Europe employee John Dykema at Mark Twain Village chapel in Heidelberg, Germany. Dykema, 50, died April 28 of cancer.

The Indianapolis native started working for USAREUR in 1974 at the Patrick Henry Village Foodland. He then held positions with the base chaplain’s office, religious bookstore and finance and accounting until 1982.

He returned to the United States and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Indiana University in 1985 and that same year returned to Germany, working as an accountant for the USAREUR Class VI agency.

Since then, he held numerous accounting positions at USAREUR, last serving as the nonappropriated fund branch manager/financial manager and single fund manager for Installation Management Agency, Europe.

Dykema is survived by his wife, Helga, and children Rebecca and Mark.