Dirks, Gerhard (1867-1937)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1937 May 26 p. 2

Birth date: 1867

text of obituary:

Gerhard Dirks

Greensburg, Ks., May 7. — The Bethel Church of God in Christ Mennonite was filled to overflowing Friday afternoon with sorrowing friends and relatives of Mr. Gerhard Dirks, who passed quietly away at his home the Tuesday previous. his body was buried in the Fairview Cemetery.

The church choir sang "Will the Circle Be Unbroken", "The City of Light", "Rock of Ages", and "I Love to Think of My Home Above." The Rev. Frank Wenger and the Rev. Sam Fricke conducted the service. A loud speaker was used so that friends on the outside of the church could hear.

Harvey Yost, Lincoln Jantz, Fred Koehn, Jacob Koehn, J. J. Unruh and Albert Koehn served as pallbearers.

Gerhard Dirks was born in Poland, Russia, and died at his home near Greensburg at 1:40 a.m., May 4, 1937, at the age of 70 years, 5 months and 2 days. At the age of 7 he, with his parents, emigrated to America, settling at Pawnee Rock, Kansas. Later they moved to Durham, Kansas. on April 6, 1891, he was united in marriage to Julia Jantz with whom he shared both sorrow and joy for 24 years when God called mother to her eternal reward. To this union were born five sons and five daughters, of whom four preceded him in death.

He was converted in the year 1894 and united with the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, of which he remained a faithful member unto the end. To him life often was a problem. He was sober, sincere and left an assurance of eternal life.

On June 10, 1917 he was united in marriage to Carrie Unruh of near Moundridge, Kansas. To this union was born one daughter and two sons.

Mr. Dirks suffered a stroke of paralysis Dec. 22, 1935, of which he never fully recovered, receiving another severe stroke on April 29 which was the immediate cause of his death. He leaves to mourn his deeply bereaved wife, five sons, four daughters, 17 grandchildren, four brothers and two sisters.