Phyllis Marie (Pitka) DIRCKS

On October 19th, 2023, Phyllis Marie Dircks (nee Pitka) passed away peacefully after 88 wonderful years with her family by her side.

Phyllis was born on the family homestead located in Englefeld, Saskatchewan on January 7th, 1935.  She was raised on the homestead until the age of 17 when she moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to enter nursing school at St. Paul’s Hospital.

Phyllis spent 40 years as a pediatric nurse in Humboldt, Saskatoon and Kamloops.  She was very proud of her nursing accomplishments during her career which included not only caregiving, but teaching, mentoring and leadership.  Her entire career was devoted to taking care of children and young adults; caring for the youth gave her great satisfaction.  Although Phyllis retired in 1995, after 23 years at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, she continued with volunteer work in various Public Health Clinics until 2005.  Phyllis was also a very active volunteer at St. John Vianney Parish and in the Catholic Women’s League.  She loved being involved in the community, made dear friends and enjoyed everyone she interacted with and the memories she made.

When she finally “slowed” down she enjoyed a bit of travelling but mostly playing cards with her gang of close friends, also affectionally known as the “Wild Women of Kamloops”.

Phyllis met George Victor Dircks after taking her first job in Humboldt, Saskatchewan at the hospital in 1957 and they married on September 2nd, 1958.  By time they had married they were both living in Saskatoon and subsequently started a family.  In 1972 they moved to Kamloops, BC with their 3 children.

Phyllis will be remembered as a committed wife, mother, grandmother; great-grandmother and friend by all those who’s lives she touched.  Like George, she strived to provide her children with a set of values that have helped shape their lives.

She will be lovingly remembered by her siblings; Donna and Dennis, her children; Herman (Tracy), Anita and James (Vanessa), her grandchildren; Zach, Seth, Levi, Caleb, Colby and Hayden, and her great grandchildren; Trace, Huntley, Rowan, Maximus, Issac, and Wyatt as well as extended family and friends.  She will be missed by all for her generosity, kindness and unwavering friendship.

Phyllis was predeceased by her husband George, parents Frank and Helen, and brother Harold.

The family wish to thank Dr. Trepess and all the staff in the Brio Unit at Berwick on the Lake in Nanaimo, BC where she spent the last 3 years of her life, for the care, kindness and gentleness they showed her.  She loved the view of the lake and her tablemates.

Phyllis will be cremated in Nanaimo and the family will take her ashes back to Kamloops to be beside George with interment at Hillside Cemetery this coming Spring.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC.

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