Michal Ray Dirkse

Mike was born December 23rd, 1957, in Madison, Wisconsin to Carl Dean Dirkse and Mary Ann (Ten Dolle) Dirkse. Mike grew up in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio. As a child, Mike and his father, Carl, attended a father/son group that included crafts, camping and fellowship. Mike played on a youth softball team and swam on a swim team. He was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout. Mike loved water, canoeing and the woods. Additionally, he enjoyed biking and building forts. He started playing guitar as a teenager and continued throughout his life.

Mike attended college at Ohio State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mike was married to Sheila Higgins on September 8, 1979. Their daughter, Michelle Dirkse, was born October 29, 1979 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Mike worked as a bartender, in construction and as a real estate agent. As an adult he lived in Columbus Ohio, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Madison, Wisconsin and Bozeman, Montana. In 1988 he moved to Seattle. Washington. He lived in Seattle, and the greater Seattle region, for the remainder of his life.

Mike’ s interests included guitar, snowboarding, hiking, walking, yoga, history, music, reading, film and spending time with family and friends. Mike’s sense of humor, ability to make others laugh and his intelligence were stand out characteristics. His fund of knowledge was vast. Additionally, Mike was caring, compassionate, thoughtful, questioned the status quo, sought justice and was undeniably handsome.

Mike was preceded in death by his father, Carl Dirkse, grandfather, Willard Dirkse, grandmother, Mabel Dirkse, grandfather, Raymond Ten Dolle, grandmother, Alice Ten Dolle, aunts, Virginia (Dirkse) Jaberg, Doris (Ten Dolle) Oonk, Ruth (Ten Dolle) Obbink, uncles, William Claerabout, Vernon Jaberg, Gilbert Oonk and Lee Obbink, and cousins Shar (Oonk) German and Deb (Oonk) Eiring. Mike is survived by his daughter, Michelle Ariane Higgins Dirkse (Jeremy Prim and step daughter), mother, Mary Ann Dirkse, sisters Anne Mary Dirkse, Jane Catherine Dirkse (David Shuster), nieces Moriah Imogen Barth, Cari Alyssa (Barth) Brooks (Charles Brooks IV), Hannah Dirkse-Shuster and Elise Dirkse-Shuster, great nieces, Eleanor and Gemma Brooks, great nephew, Charles Brooks V, friends, and many extended family members.

Mike was deeply loved and will be missed.