Timothy R. Dirks

Timothy Ralph Dirks was born to Virgil and Marian Dirks in Newton, Kansas on July 27, 1953. His early years were spent in Kansas, South Dakota and Oklahoma with siblings Lynette, Bradley and Jonathan. He graduated from Berean Academy in Elbing, Kansas in 1971 and then attended Grace Bible College in Omaha, Nebraska where he played basketball and studied Bible and Education. After a brief stint at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Tim found his calling and passion in the building of houses, cabinets, airplanes and cars.

Tim married his high school sweetheart, Shardelle Juhnke, on April 20th, 1974 and moved from Omaha to rural Sedgwick, Kansas. There he built their home where they lived together for 50 years and raised their son, Ryan, and daughter, Stacia.

Tim was a man of immense talent and grit; he loved hunting, fishing, rebuilding cars, golfing, music, and working with his hands to create. He was an accomplished craftsman, serving as a construction superintendent for McCollom Construction for decades. His retirement allowed him to realize his lifelong dream of building an airplane from scratch. He also loved raising show cattle for many years, and enjoyed helping his father-in-law at harvest time.

For years, Tim and Shardelle dedicated their time to teaching and caring for the Sunday School children at Grace Community Church in Newton, KS. They made learning fun and tangible for their students. More recently, they found a vibrant church home at NewSpring Church in Wichita, KS, where Tim looked forward to the sermons and worship time, and sang faithfully in the choir.

Tim is leaving an indelible impression upon those who knew him. He had a great sense of humor and loved to tease. There was never a dull moment in his presence! As a father, he passed down not just his skills as a craftsman, but his quick wit, and his lessons on the value of a hard day's work. Tim also had a passion for sharing his faith. Whether teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, being a witness to his hunting buddies, or serving as a helping hand to a neighbor, his faith was the driving force of his life and he was always clear about his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Tim passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior on June 13th, 2026 at the age of 72. He is preceded in death by his father Virgil and his mother Marian. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Shardelle, son Ryan and his wife Juli Dirks (Andover, KS), daughter Stacia and her husband Timothy Rink (Castle Rock, CO), his beloved grandchildren Ruby, Theo, and Amelie, as well as his siblings Lynette, Bradley and Jonathan.

A casual come-and-go memorial reception will be held at Cozine Life Events Center in Wichita, KS on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, from 10:30am - 12:30pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Gospelink, Inc.