Kermit Dirks' Obituary
Kermit LeRoy Dirks, age 86, passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames after a long struggle with dementia and recent heart and respiratory events. Zoom link for Celebration of Life Service. us02web.zoom.us/j/84723872573?pwd=M21qcXpheUlvZWZpZTE4QzR6Q01hQT09 Meeting ID: 847 2387 2573 Passcode: 647812 Born on May 30, 1934 in Anamosa, Iowa, Kermit was the son of LeRoy and Maurine (Stingley) Dirks. He grew up on the family farm near Center Junction, Iowa, and graduated from Monticello High School and nearby Cornell College with a degree in Geology. While at Cornell he met Gertrude "Trudy" Ludden, his lifelong partner, and they married in June 1956. After college Kermit briefly worked as a Geophysicist with Tower Exploration in Wyoming, but soon moved back to Iowa to take a job with the Iowa Department of Transportation, where he worked as a Geologist for 39 years until his retirement in 1996. He was blessed with great mechanical abilities and tackled every broken appliance and car that came his way. Kermit was quiet and would never offer an opinion unless asked, but he was smart and very practical and was sought out by friends and family when they had problems to solve or needed advice. An avid outdoorsman, he took his children and grandchildren on many "adventures", particularly to lakes in northern Minnesota where he loved to fish. Kermit is survived by his wife Trudy, son Bill (Tammy) and daughters Terri (Leon) Hillers and Kathy (Paul) Gilchrist Simpson: grandchildren Christopher, Patrick and Andrew Hillers, Brian, Scott and Katie Dirks, and Kylie and Ian Gilchrist. He also had 8 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by brothers Keith Dirks, Brad Dirks and Will Dirks, with whom he treasured annual "brothers day reunions". A Celebration of Life service will be held for Kermit LeRoy Dirks on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at the United Church of Christ in Ames, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 1:00 pm, in the church's Parlor, followed by the service at 2:00. Masks are required at United Church of Christ. A private family inurnment will immediately follow the service. In lieu of flowers, Kermit's family requests that donations in Kermit's memory be made to Trudy Dirks, who will use all donated funds to support Friends of Ada Hayden Heritage Park and the United Church of Christ. Online condolence may be directed to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com
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