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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Dirks, Alva Harm
Alva Harm Dirks, 86, of 437 30th Street Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids, passed away Friday, June 25, 2010, at Northbrook Manor Care Center. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. The Rev. John Keizer of the Springville United Methodist Church will officiate. Inurnment, with military honors: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to service time Thursday at the chapel. A luncheon will be served after the service at the Springville American Legion Post 331.
Survivors include four sons, Mark of Springville, Eric (Debbie) of Irrigon, Ore., Tracy of Milton Free Water, Ore., and Randy of Battle Creek, Mich.; two stepdaughters, Barbara (Dave) Morris of Bemidji, Minn., and Wendy (Dave) Cline of Walker, Minn.; four grandchildren, Aaron and Alysha Dirks, Tana (Vernon) Carlson and Kori (Ryan) Brown; a great-granddaughter, Addison Brown; Alva's former wife, Marilyn Shadix of Irrigon, Ore.; and former daughter-in-law, Danielle Frisch of Springville.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Jean; two brothers, Edward and Herman; and two sisters, Emma and Elizabeth.
Alva was born June 3, 1924, in Langworthy, Iowa, to Harm and Katja (Zimmerman) Dirks. He married Jean Shatzer on Dec. 26, 1977, in Las Vegas, Nev. She died Jan. 29, 1991. He was an inspector at Rockwell-Collins, retiring in 1983. He was vice commander of Springville American Legion Post 331. He was cub master and pack leader of Boy Scout Troop 57 in Springville, where he mentored many boys to the rank of Eagle Scout. He received the Mechanics Illustrated Gold Hammer Award for one of the many instruments he made. His carvings and instruments may be seen at Wyoming, and Edinburgh, Iowa.
Military honors by Springville American Legion Post 331.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hawkeye Area Council Boy Scouts of America, 660 32nd Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 or the American Cancer Society, 4080 First Ave. NE, Suite 101, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.
Please leave a message or tribute to the Dirks family on the Web page, under obituaries.
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