Mary Fischer Dirksen, 89, of Uvalde died on March 29, 2017, at her residence. A vigil service will be held today at 7 p.m. at Rushing Estes Funeral Home. A mass of resurrection will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, followed by interment at Hillcrest Cemetery. She was born on Jan. 13, 1928, in Dayton, Ohio to Catherine (Steinmetz) and John Fischer. She married Herbert Dirksen on June 17, 1950, in Frenchtown, Ohio. The family says she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Dirksen was a registered nurse, trained at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. The couple operated a family dairy farm for 19 years, before moving to Texas in 1969. In Uvalde, she worked at Uvalde Memorial Hospital and Amistad Nursing Home. She was a director of nursing for many years and established the certified nursing assistant program. She and her husband were active members of Sacred Heart Church, serving for many years as catechists and eucharistic ministers, bringing communion to the homebound. She was a long time member of the Catholic Women’s Club, Green Thumb Garden Club, Texas Agri-Women, Chili Peppers, the Uvalde Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and an advocate for El Progresso Memorial Library. The family says Dirksen enjoyed playing bridge and participating in water aerobics at the Herby Ham Activity Center. Dirksen is survived by two brothers, Carl Fischer and Art Fischer and wife, Regina, all of Versailles, Ohio; nine children, Irene Light and husband, Randy, of College Station, Kathy Bendele and husband, Ray, of Kingsville, Ann Catron of San Antonio, Marge Dunlap and husband, Doug, of San Antonio, Joan Koop and her husband, Hermes, of Naples, Florida, Linda Dirksen of Orlando, Florida, and Jane Collins and husband, Ronnie, Beth Andres, and Ken Dirksen and wife, Barby, all of Uvalde; 25 grandchildren, Julie Boytim and husband, Edward, Susan Farmer and husband Chris, David Light and wife, April, Clint Bendele and wife, Stacey, Melissa Wyman and husband, Bill, Katie Hughes and husband, Matt, Jacob Bendele and wife, Lindsey, Gretchen Bley and husband, Matt, Heather Catron, Amanda Brown and husband, Aron, Brad Dimmitt and wife, Brittany, Nathan Dimmitt and wife, Lori, Benjamin Dimmitt, Dirk Dunlap and wife, Christina, Zach Dunlap, Lela Budnik and husband, Brian, Andree Koop, Hans Koop, Nico Koop and wife, Tara, Anneke Koop, Seth Andres, Isaac Andres, Adam Andres, Matt Dirksen, and Will Dirksen; and 32 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; two children, James Dirksen and Mary Dirksen; one grandson, Michael Catron; and two brothers, Ralph Fischer and Richard Fischer. Pallbearers will be Brad Dimmitt, Nathan Dimmitt, Benjamin Dimmitt, Dirk Dunlap, Andree Koop, Nico Koop, Seth Andres, and Isaac Andres. Altar servers will be Adam Andres and Jackson Bendele. Memorial donations may be made to Uvalde Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, P.O. Box 1822, Uvalde, TX, 78802, or Guadalupe Radio Network, visit www.grnonline.com and click ‘donate.’
RUSHING-ESTES-KNOWLES MORTUARY, WWW.REKFUNERALS.COM