Dean Alan Dirks

A Memorial Service for Dean was held Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bruning, Nebraska. Pastor Leah Krotz presided over the Memorial Service. A private Committal of Ashes will take place at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the Bruning-Davenport Unified School District. Dean Alan Dirks was born to Don and Lola (Wilkening) Dirks on September 4th, 1960, in Hebron, Nebraska. He passed away peacefully at his home in Bruning, Nebraska, surrounded by loved ones, on November 12, 2024 at the age of 64 years, 2 months, and 8 days. He was baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Ohiowa, Nebraska and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bruning, Nebraska. Dean lived his entire life in the Bruning area, where he attended high school and graduated in 1978 as a Bruning Bear. He met the love of his life, Michelle (Norder) Dirks, shortly after in 1982. The two wed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bruning, February 25th, 1984. To this union three children were born: Bethany (Peewee Ann), Taylor (Tater Salad) and Halsey (Halsey Dalsey). Dean spent many years working on the family farm and in the family auctioneering/real estate business. He was the best self-taught auctioneer you’d ever heard. He enjoyed working for Arnie and Mary Heinrichs for many years and continued the auctioneer trade with Bergen-Dirks auction in Sutton, Nebraska. His most recent employment held a special place in his heart. Dean loved working at Bruning Davenport Unified School (BDS) where driving the bus and maintaining the football field were two of the highlights of his job. Oh, the bus stories he could tell! Dean didn’t know a stranger; you didn’t have to know him well to know he was a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs and Royals fan. He loved attending his children’s sporting events through the years, although dance recitals and music concerts he would have rather attended in spirit. He was ornery by nature and always had a story or joke to tell. Dean and Michelle were blessed with nine grandchildren who were the light of his life. His time with them was very special and the memories they made together will last a lifetime. He enjoyed traveling with his family. Most recently, he and Chelle traveled to Kawaii and had the time of their life. As a family, annual trips were enjoyed to the cabin in Colorado and several fond memories were created at the Dirks’ family weekends with marshmallow man, at various locations across the Midwest. Dean was preceded in death by his sister, Deb Dirks; parents, Don and Lola Dirks; stepfather, Vernon Johnson; grandparents, Eldon and Amalia “Mollie” Dirks and Edward and Alma Wilkening; father-in-law, Robert Norder; cousin, Dave Swanson; and many aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife, Michelle Dirks of Bruning, Nebraska; children, Bethany (Jason) Swafford of Scandia, Kansas, Taylor (Brooke) Dirks of Bruning, Nebraska, Halsey (Matt) Gorecki of Dannebrog, Nebraska; grandchildren, Mallory, Dirks, Judson, Tayvin, Lucas, Jensen, Aiden, Adalynn, and Aimes; sisters, Deanna Dirks of Hastings, Nebraska and Denise (Sam) Packard of Lincoln, Nebraska; mother-in-law, Jean Norder of Mobridge, South Dakota; brothers-in-law, Mike (Jessie) Norder of Mobridge, South Dakota and Mitch (Allison) Norder of Colorado Springs, Colorado; many nieces and nephews (some of which called him “Uncle Bean”); and a host of other family members and friends.

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Dean Alan Dirks

September 4, 1960 - November 12, 2024