Keith Dirks

KEITH DIRKS

Anamosa

Keith Dirks, 58, died Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, at his home following a brief illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, at the Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, rural Monticello, with interment in the Wayne Zion Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce; his siblings, Phil (Kathy) Dirks, Anamosa, Lynnette (David) Scott, Sparks, Nev., Gayle (Tony) Valdez, Gilroy, Calif., and Harvey (Kathy) Dirks, Cedar Rapids; a special nephew, Jeffrey Dirks; nieces and nephews, Matt, Molly, Nathan, Jeremy, Josh, Tony, Clair, Kenny and Nicholas; his special friend, Charles Hilton; his mother-in-law, Marie Finn, Cascade; sisters-in-law, Jan (Carl) Takes, Amber, and Kay (Bob) Vonderhaar, Cascade; and a special aunt, Lollie Finn, Cascade.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law, Rusty Finn; and a sister, Coral Jackson.

Keith Craig Dirks was born Oct. 19, 1956, at Aurora, Ill. He was the son of George and May Baker Dirks. Keith graduated from the Anamosa Community Schools in 1974. He continued his education at both Cornell College and at Kirkwood Community College. Keith started working as a painter and worked for various painting contractors in Cedar Rapids though the painters union.

Keith married Joyce Finn on Sept. 25, 1982, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Cascade. Keith started his own painting business, Keith Dirks Painting and Decorating, shortly thereafter. For the past 19 years, Keith served as a supervisor for Jones County. In that capacity, he served on the board of health, the 911 board, emergency management and the Jones County Economic Development board and received an award from the governor for his work. He also served on E.I.R.U.S. and was very active on the conservation board working to get the nature center built at Central Park and all the other improvements done. Keith was a member of A.A. and also devoted time to ASAC, speaking to youth groups about alcohol and drug abuse. He was active in the Democratic Party serving on the Central Committee for 10 years before he was elected as a supervisor.

When he was not painting or in a meeting, Keith loved to play and more recently build guitars. He loved the outdoors and the natural prairies. He enjoyed hunting but was an avid fisherman.