Obituaries: Dirks

Posted on January 20, 2015

Phyllis Dirks

Phyllis Jean Wertsch Dirks., 92, of Bloomington, died Dec. 7, 2014 at Advocate BroMenn Regional Medical Center, surrounded by her family.

A private family service was held Dec. 11, 2014 with burial at Park Hill Cemetery.  A Celebration of Life Service will be Saturday at 11:30 a.m., at Second Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, with the Rev. David Barton officiating.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Second Presbyterian Church, the Baby Fold or Bloomington Public Schools Foundation.

Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington is in charge of arrangements.

Phyllis was born on Jan. 9, 1922, in rural Delavan, Ill., to Verner Alphonso and Cora Elsie Brooks Wertsch.  She attended a one-room school.  She married Louis Edward Dirks, Jr., on Nov. 26, 1943, in Delavan.  He died Dec. 12, 1981.

Surviving Phyllis are her children Bob (Kathy) Dirks, Westlake Village, Calif., John (Laura) Dirks, Bloomington, and Jean (Mike) Schertz, Bettendorf, Iowa;  her grandchildren Jeff Schertz, Brian (Danielle) Schertz, Lauren Dirks, John (fiancee Caitlin Grover) Dirks, Hilary (Joe) Norton, Caroline Dirks, Peter Dirks and Amelia Dirks;  and her great grandchildren Allison Schertz and Owen Schertz.

She was preceded in death by her siblings, Clifford H. Wertsch, Mary Louise Dahlhaus and V. Alan Wertsch

Phyllis graduated Phi Kappa Phi in social work from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1943, where she was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.

She was a homemaker with her favorite vocation listed as “grandmothering.”  As a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, she was a strong believer in doing for others.  She served as a volunteer at the Community Cancer Center, a volunteer at Brokaw/Mennonite/BroMenn for 43 years, on the Sister City Board for seven years, and at Second Presbyterian Church over 40 years where she was an elder, deacon, choir member and finance office worker.

She was a member of Chapter AW, PEO, and the Longfellow Club.

Her family wishes to thank Kari and Jessica, nurses in the BroMenn cardiac care unit, the staff of Martin Health Center and Dr. Peter Abadeer and his assistant Cindy for their loving care.

View obituary and leave condolences at www.calvertmemorial.com.

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