Eldon Dirks
July 02, 2012
Eldon George Dirks died Monday, July 2, 2012, at Mercy Hospice House. He was 65 years old.
Eldon was born December 8, 1946, to George and Elda (Brunscheen) Dirks in Anamosa, Iowa. He lived on a farm in Jones County until his family moved to the Cedar Rapids area in 1958. Eldon graduated from Linn-Mar High School in 1965. He attended Wartburg College and the University of Northern Iowa before enlisting in the Air Force in June of 1968. He served as a medic in the flight surgeon’s office and was stationed in California, Oklahoma, and Thailand. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1976, and from the Mercy Hospital School of Medical Technology in 1977. He worked at Broadlawns Medical Center, Iowa Methodist Medical Center, and at Mercy Medical Center as a medical technologist, and later as a pathologist assistant at Mercy.
Eldon married Stephanie (McCallum) Dirks June 20, 1970. They raised three daughters; Anna, Sarah, and Erica. Eldon loved the outdoors. He especially enjoyed hunting and fishing, and biking and walking on the bike trails. He was an avid reader and loved music. He was a charter member of Capitol Hill Lutheran Church, where he sang in the choir and served on the church council.
Eldon is survived by his wife, Stephanie; his daughters, Anna (Abdur-Rahman) Syed of Dubai, UAE; Sarah Dirks of Kansas City, MO; Erica (Manu) Seth of Berkeley, CA; his grandchildren, Isra and Zakariyya Syed; his sisters, Marlene Nordby of Winter Haven, FL, and Kathleen Sharon of Marshall, MO; and his brother, John Dirks of Germantown, MD.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 18, 2012, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 19, 2012, at Capitol Hill Lutheran Church. Memorial contributions may be made to his church.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Thomas Huntley
07/16/2012
My condolences to the Dirks family. Eldon was a teacher, mentor, and technologist colleague of mine at Mercy. I will always remember his "brains", humor, and wit and know that my career flourished as a result of his influences early on.
Sharon Goodlaxson Wierwille
07/14/2012
Eldon was a classmate at Mercy School of Medical Technology in 1977. He was a wonderful classmate and friend, and was always smiling. I know you will miss him very much. My deepest sympathy to all of his family.
Jeff Sinnwell
07/13/2012
Eldon was one of the best neighbors a family could ask for. Kind, helpful, giving and someone who took pride in what he did. He will be greatly missed by my family.