Dorothy Dirksen

Dirksen (nee Hutmacher)
Dorothy Catherine
Born November 27, 1922 in Sioux City, Iowa. She died peacefully on November 7, 2014 with family and caregivers at her side. Dottie, as she was known to her family and friends, was the tenth of twelve children and the sixth daughter born to Marius Anthony Hutmacher and Elizabeth Mary Luig. As a child born into a large family and growing up during the Depression, the difficult years of the Dust Bowl and WWII, Dorothy developed a talent for being extremely frugal. She was "green" long before the environmental movement was born, recycling and reusing everything from foodstuffs to household supplies to clothing. She was one of the multitude of women working at "Rosie the Riveter" types of jobs during the second world war. Dottie spent most of the WWII years at Wincharger in Sioux City, IA, where aircraft armatures were wound. She grew to be a well-liked and respected supervisor to the women who worked for her. In 1947, she married Wayne Dirksen, her lifelong love. Together they moved from Sioux City, IA to Whitefish, MT and finally to St. Paul, MN where they lived out their lives.

Dorothy was a devoted wife & mother whose life revolved around her family. In addition to being a homemaker, she made time to volunteer for school, church and civic activities. She loved to have fun, loved music, and frequently danced and sang around her home. She had a beautiful voice and often sang for church services during her time in Whitefish, MT. One of her many homemaking skills was baking. She made delicious pies, cakes, breads, sweet rolls and doughnuts. There were always cookies in the cookie jar, which was no small task considering the size of her family. Sadly, Dorothy's family lost the energetic woman they knew to dementia several years prior to her death. The family is deeply grateful to Dorothy's caregivers from St. Croix Hospice and Ecumen's Seasons of Maplewood for their years of loving, respectful care of a beloved mother and grandmother.

Dorothy is survived by six children: Theresa, Steve (Jeanne), Joe (Mary), Jerry (Anne), Lisa Burrows (Jim) and Tony (Leanne); 12 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren and one brother, Robert Hutmacher, of Sioux City. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Wayne Dirksen; parents, Tony & Elizabeth Hutmacher; siblings, Helen Lien, Agnes Frisbie, Florence Hutmacher, Pauline Chatagnier, Mary Mitosinka, Tony Hutmacher, John Hutmacher, Paul Hutmacher, Bernie Hutmacher, and Jerry Hutmacher.

Remembrance and celebration of Dorothy's life will be held at the following locations: Visitation at BRADSHAW, 1078 Rice Street, St. Paul from 9:00-10:15AM on Wednesday. Mass will follow at CHURCH OF ST. BERNARD, 187 Geranium Ave W., St. Paul at 10:30AM. Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Alzheimer's Association, St. Croix Hospice or Ecumen's Seasons of Maplewood are suggested.