KEWANEE – Henry S. Dirks, 86, of Kewanee, died at 5:15 p.m., Monday, May 30, 2016 at the Kewanee Care Home.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 3 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee. Deacon Martin VanMeltebeck will officiate. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home with recitation of the rosary at 10:45 a.m. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Galesburg. Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society.
He was born February 2, 1930 in Lincoln, IL, the son of Henry Joseph and Helen (Amberg) Dirks. He married Kathleen A. Huff on May 10, 1950 in Lincoln, IL and she preceded him in death on July 28, 2005. He was also preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters. He is survived by a son, Thomas Dirks of Mokena, IL, six daughters, Karen (Tom) Hornback of Kewanee, Vickie (Karl) Broyles of Decatur, IL, Sandra (Mike) Johnson of East Moline, IL, Cindy (Daniel) Roberts of Bushnell, IL, Patricia (Mark) Shewhart of Spring Valley, OH, and Kathryn Dirks of Danville, IL, twenty grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter, his sister, Joyce Dirks of Springfield, IL, a brother-in-law, Lloyd Leesman of Hartsburg, IL and a sister-in-law, Dorothy Dirks of Sullivan, IL.
Henry graduated from Lincoln High School in 1948. He had been a store manager for the Piggly-Wiggly in Kewanee and then later at Eagle’s in Kewanee and Tilton, IL. He was a member of Visitation Church, St. John Paul II Parish in Kewanee. In earlier years he had been a member of the Knights of Columbus. He had enjoyed bowling, golfing and playing cards. He also enjoyed watching all sports but was a favorite of watching golf, the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals and was a U of I fan. This obituary may be viewed and private condolences left at www.ruxfuneralhome.com.
