Edward Dirks born on January 20, 1921, in Stewartville, MN, passed away at the age of 89, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.
Ed spent the first years of his life on a farm in Minnesota with his German immigrant parents, his brother and a sister. When he was old enough, he enlisted in the Navy where he proudly served on a destroyer in World War II. After he was discharged he stayed in California, where he had a short career as an extra in the movie industry.
He met and married the love of his life, Dorothy (Dotty - also a Navy veteran) on July 3, 1948, and together they started their lives together in Los Angeles, California.
He was employed at Rocketdyne for several years before the family moved to Thousand Oaks, California, where he began a career at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station in Oxnard, California. He was a Quality Control Supervisor for the Missile Defense System program and retired from there in the early '80s.
After retirement, Ed and Dotty moved to Oroville, California, where they spent their days traveling in their motorhome, square dancing, visiting friends and relatives thoughout the United States, and traveling abroad.
Their lives were full, and those years were the foundation for many wonderful memories and stories that he loved to share with all of the new friends he gathered throughout the rest of his life.
In 2002, they moved again to Bend to be closer to their daughters. While their travels may have been less often, they did manage to spend the summers on the Oregon Coast with friends from California.
After Dotty passed away in 2005, Ed found a wonderful church home at Trinity Lutheran Church and there he spent every Sunday morning attending services and every Friday morning with his men's Bible Study Group. He met many friends there and they were a great source of comfort to him as was his hospice grief group.
He was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Edward Dirks who died in 1994. He is survived by daughter, Margaret Berg of Bend; son, Bill Dirks (Ini) of Sacramento, California and the Fiji Islands; and daughter, Debra Simonson (Les) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Additional survivors include 12 grandchildren and numerous great- grandchildren.
His request was to be cremated and buried at his family plot in Stewartville, Minnesota. It was also his request that no services be held; however, a private family memorial service may be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions will be accepted in his name to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2550 NE Butler Market Road, Bend, OR 97701. Please sign our guest book at www.niswonger-reynolds.com.
Ed spent the first years of his life on a farm in Minnesota with his German immigrant parents, his brother and a sister. When he was old enough, he enlisted in the Navy where he proudly served on a destroyer in World War II. After he was discharged he stayed in California, where he had a short career as an extra in the movie industry.
He met and married the love of his life, Dorothy (Dotty - also a Navy veteran) on July 3, 1948, and together they started their lives together in Los Angeles, California.
He was employed at Rocketdyne for several years before the family moved to Thousand Oaks, California, where he began a career at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station in Oxnard, California. He was a Quality Control Supervisor for the Missile Defense System program and retired from there in the early '80s.
After retirement, Ed and Dotty moved to Oroville, California, where they spent their days traveling in their motorhome, square dancing, visiting friends and relatives thoughout the United States, and traveling abroad.
Their lives were full, and those years were the foundation for many wonderful memories and stories that he loved to share with all of the new friends he gathered throughout the rest of his life.
In 2002, they moved again to Bend to be closer to their daughters. While their travels may have been less often, they did manage to spend the summers on the Oregon Coast with friends from California.
After Dotty passed away in 2005, Ed found a wonderful church home at Trinity Lutheran Church and there he spent every Sunday morning attending services and every Friday morning with his men's Bible Study Group. He met many friends there and they were a great source of comfort to him as was his hospice grief group.
He was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Edward Dirks who died in 1994. He is survived by daughter, Margaret Berg of Bend; son, Bill Dirks (Ini) of Sacramento, California and the Fiji Islands; and daughter, Debra Simonson (Les) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Additional survivors include 12 grandchildren and numerous great- grandchildren.
His request was to be cremated and buried at his family plot in Stewartville, Minnesota. It was also his request that no services be held; however, a private family memorial service may be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions will be accepted in his name to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2550 NE Butler Market Road, Bend, OR 97701. Please sign our guest book at www.niswonger-reynolds.com.
Edward Dirks born on January 20, 1921, in Stewartville, MN, passed away at the age of 89, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.
Ed spent the first years of his life on a farm in Minnesota with his German immigrant parents, his brother and a sister. When he was old enough, he enlisted in the Navy where he proudly served on a destroyer in World War II. After he was discharged he stayed in California, where he had a short career as an extra in the movie industry.
He met and married the love of his life, Dorothy (Dotty - also a Navy veteran) on July 3, 1948, and together they started their lives together in Los Angeles, California.
He was employed at Rocketdyne for several years before the family moved to Thousand Oaks, California, where he began a career at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station in Oxnard, California. He was a Quality Control Supervisor for the Missile Defense System program and retired from there in the early '80s.
After retirement, Ed and Dotty moved to Oroville, California, where they spent their days traveling in their motorhome, square dancing, visiting friends and relatives thoughout the United States, and traveling abroad.
Their lives were full, and those years were the foundation for many wonderful memories and stories that he loved to share with all of the new friends he gathered throughout the rest of his life.
In 2002, they moved again to Bend to be closer to their daughters. While their travels may have been less often, they did manage to spend the summers on the Oregon Coast with friends from California.
After Dotty passed away in 2005, Ed found a wonderful church home at Trinity Lutheran Church and there he spent every Sunday morning attending services and every Friday morning with his men's Bible Study Group. He met many friends there and they were a great source of comfort to him as was his hospice grief group.
He was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Edward Dirks who died in 1994. He is survived by daughter, Margaret Berg of Bend; son, Bill Dirks (Ini) of Sacramento, California and the Fiji Islands; and daughter, Debra Simonson (Les) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Additional survivors include 12 grandchildren and numerous great- grandchildren.
His request was to be cremated and buried at his family plot in Stewartville, Minnesota. It was also his request that no services be held; however, a private family memorial service may be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions will be accepted in his name to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2550 NE Butler Market Road, Bend, OR 97701. Please sign our guest book at www.niswonger-reynolds.com.
Ed spent the first years of his life on a farm in Minnesota with his German immigrant parents, his brother and a sister. When he was old enough, he enlisted in the Navy where he proudly served on a destroyer in World War II. After he was discharged he stayed in California, where he had a short career as an extra in the movie industry.
He met and married the love of his life, Dorothy (Dotty - also a Navy veteran) on July 3, 1948, and together they started their lives together in Los Angeles, California.
He was employed at Rocketdyne for several years before the family moved to Thousand Oaks, California, where he began a career at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station in Oxnard, California. He was a Quality Control Supervisor for the Missile Defense System program and retired from there in the early '80s.
After retirement, Ed and Dotty moved to Oroville, California, where they spent their days traveling in their motorhome, square dancing, visiting friends and relatives thoughout the United States, and traveling abroad.
Their lives were full, and those years were the foundation for many wonderful memories and stories that he loved to share with all of the new friends he gathered throughout the rest of his life.
In 2002, they moved again to Bend to be closer to their daughters. While their travels may have been less often, they did manage to spend the summers on the Oregon Coast with friends from California.
After Dotty passed away in 2005, Ed found a wonderful church home at Trinity Lutheran Church and there he spent every Sunday morning attending services and every Friday morning with his men's Bible Study Group. He met many friends there and they were a great source of comfort to him as was his hospice grief group.
He was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Edward Dirks who died in 1994. He is survived by daughter, Margaret Berg of Bend; son, Bill Dirks (Ini) of Sacramento, California and the Fiji Islands; and daughter, Debra Simonson (Les) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Additional survivors include 12 grandchildren and numerous great- grandchildren.
His request was to be cremated and buried at his family plot in Stewartville, Minnesota. It was also his request that no services be held; however, a private family memorial service may be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions will be accepted in his name to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2550 NE Butler Market Road, Bend, OR 97701. Please sign our guest book at www.niswonger-reynolds.com.
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