Dirks, George D. (1894-1959)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Dec 24 p. 6

Birth date: 1894

text of obituary:

. . .

— George D. Dirks, 65, who farmed near Buhler most of his life, died Dec. 17 at the Bethel Deaconess hospital where he had been a patient for more than a week. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the Hoffnungsau church near Inman, Rev. P. K. Regier of Buhler officiating. Mr. Dirks is survived by his widow, Tina; one son and one daughter; his mother, Mrs. Mariah Dirks of Goessel; three sisters, five brothers and four grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Dec 31 p. 8

text of obituary:

GEORGE D. DIRKS

George D. Dirks, son of Abraham and Maria Dyck Dirks, was born in Reno County near Buhler, Kansas, on Feb. 21, 1894. He spent his childhood on the farm and attended the Willow Grove and Buhler Grade schools.

On May 28, 1917, he was baptized upon the confession of his faith in Jesus Christ as his Saviour by Rev. P. H. Richert and was received into the Christian fellowship of the Hoffnungsau Mennonite church near Inman, Kansas, of which he remained a faithful member until the day of his departure.

On March 16, 1919, he was married to Tena [sic Tina] Janzen with whom he shared life's joys and sorrows more than 40 years. To this union two children, Wilma and Earle were born to bless the home.

For 25 years he and his wife farmed in Harvey county and for the last 15 years in Finney county. In the summer months they made their home near Kalvesta in western Kansas, returning to their home in Buhler for the winter months. He had a deep conviction that in farming he was working with God.

On Dec. 8 he submitted to surgery at the Bethel Deaconess hospital of Newton, Kansas, for the removal of a kidney which had a cancerous tumor. For the first two days after surgery he seemed to be doing well, but later complications set in. On Tuesday, just a week later, he again underwent surgery and the doctors found that gangerine [sic] had affected his intestines and they removed whatever they deemed necessary. In spite of the wonderful care of his special nurses and all the help and advice the doctors could give, he left this earth to go to his heavenly home on Thursday morning, Dec. 17. He had reached the age of 65 years, nine months and 26 days.

He was of a happy disposition and never complained even under severe suffering and sickness. He was always a loving husband and father and in these later years found much joy in his grandchildren.

Those who now mourn his departure are his loving wife Tena [sic Tina]; a daughter Wilma and her husand Home Nikkel of Buhler; a son Earle of the home, now a student at Bethel College; four grandsons; his aged motherof 96 years in the Goessel Home for the Aged; five brothers, Abraham of Burrton, Pete, Isaac and Ben of Buhler, and Fred of Halstead, Kansas; three sisters, Mrs. Marie Deckert of Denair, Calif., Mrs. Helen Dick of Moundridge, and Mrs. Margaret Richert of Buhler, and many other relatives and friends.