Obituary of Dirk Hansen

A Mass of Christian Burial for Durick "Dirk" Hansen, 81, of West Okoboji, Iowa, will be held at 10:30 am, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Visitation will begin at 5 pm, Friday, March 17, 2023, with the family present from 5 - 7 pm, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Milford.

Durick “Dirk” Hansen passed away in peace Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Aspire Nursing Home in Lake Park, Iowa, at eighty-one years of age.  He is survived by his loving wife, Diana Hansen, of Wahpeton, Iowa; children, Renee Hansen-Sypal (Lyle) of Bellevue, Nebraska, Christine Mulligan (Randy) of Woodbury, Minnesota, Scott Hansen (Tonja) of Woodbury, Minnesota, Heather Herzog (Eric) of San Antonio, Texas, and Jonathan Hansen of Spirit Lake, Iowa; grandchildren, Meghan, Madison and Myah Mulligan, Ellie, Abigail, Nate and Will Hansen, Helena and Anna Herzog, and Haizley and Dove Hansen.  He is also survived by a sister, Vicki Style and brother, Lynn Hansen; several nieces, nephews and many friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Wade and Catherine Hansen.

Durick "Dirk" William Hansen was born July 30, 1941, in Algona, Iowa, the son of Wade and Catherine (Durick) Hansen.  Dirk was raised and educated in Algona, where he graduated from St. Cecelia High School. He furthered his education at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, where he received his degree in business administration in June of 1964.

During a visit home from college, he stopped by Diana’s Cut and Curl Beauty Shop to get a hair cut. He fell in love with Diana and the rest made history. After college, Dirk was united in marriage to Diana Louise Bonnstetter on June 4, 1964, at St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Algona, Iowa. Dirk and Diana had a vibrant life together. The couple made their home in Omaha, and later, Wahpeton, Iowa, where they raised their five children. He enjoyed coaching his children's soccer teams, playing baseball and cheering on the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He loved lighting off fireworks on the Fourth of July and taking the kids sledding with the old, wooden toboggan. Additionally, he had a passion for purchasing and collecting cars. He visited the library weekly, reading political books, historical accounts, John Grisham, and the Omaha World Herald.  He enjoyed spending time with friends and family playing cards, cribbage, chatting and having coffee “with the guys” in town. Most people remember Dirk by his intellectual wit. 

Dirk was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. His faith was important to him and he was active at all of the parishes where he was a member. He was a member of Knights of Columbus at St. Thomas Moore and St. Margaret Mary’s Parishes in Omaha, and then at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Diana and Dirk had a strong connection in their faith.

Dirk worked as a tax accountant for Peat, Marwick & Mitchell Accounting Firm in Omaha, as a controller for Ranks Retail Business in Council Bluffs, an assistant controller for Pamida in Omaha, and in the tax department at Conagra Brands. During this time, Dirk and Diana purchased a cabin in Okoboji for weekend getaways. They enjoyed it so much, they made it permanent. This fulfilled their dream to raise their kids in a small town. When the family moved to Milford, Dirk opened his own tax practice, first in Milford, and then in Hartley and Paullina, which he operated until retirement in 2012. He was the epitome of hard work and perseverance. 

Blessed be the memory of Dirk.