Peter A. Dirkx

Olson-Tichenor Funeral Home
307 NE Main Street
Mapleton, MN  56065
(507) 524-3616

Peter Anthony Dirkx, age 96, of Mankato and formerly of Amboy, passed away on Friday, June 30, 2017, at Primrose Retirement Community.

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 6, 2017, at St. Teresa Catholic Church in Mapleton, with Fr. Andrew Vogel officiating.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the mass at church.  Interment will be in Sterling Cemetery in Amboy.  Olson-Tichenor Funeral Home handled the arrangements.  Memorials may be given to the donor’s choice.

Peter was born December 1, 1920, in Harrison, WI.  He was the son of Holland immigrants, Adrian and Johanna (Roozen) Dirkx.  After his mother passed away when he was five years old, Peter lived at St. Joseph’s Orphan Home in Superior, WI for eight years.  After finishing grade school, he lived and worked on the farm of Nello and Susie Olson for six years.  Peter joined the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served for two years on a troop carrier in the Okinawa area.

Peter was united in marriage to Arlyss Johnson on February 23, 1946, in Mapleton.  The couple farmed in Sterling Township until 1981.  He was also employed by Northrup King Co. in Amboy.  Peter and Arlyss moved to Primrose Retirement Community in Mankato in 2011.  He was a member of St. Teresa Catholic Church in Mapleton, Amboy American Legion Jennings Post 276, and the Amboy Lions Club.  Peter enjoyed farming, gardening, and sharing his produce with friends and the Mankato Echo Food Shelf.  He was a recipient of the KEYC Good People Jefferson Award, the Lions Melvin Jones Award, and volunteered at the MRCI Thrift Store.

Peter is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Arlyss Dirkx of Mankato; two daughters, Doreen (Patrick) Nickels of Minneapolis and Rev. Deann Dirkx of Coon Rapids; three grandchildren, Jeremy Dirkx Olson, Elizabeth Dirkx Olson, and Brenden Nickels; two great-grandchildren, Aidan and Evie Olson; two sisters-in-law, Carol Dirkx of West Bend, WI and Diane Dirkx of El Mirage, CA; also many special nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Dennis; sister, Marie Helsen; and brothers, John, Casey, Albert, and Gerard.