ML "Cap" Dierks

ML "Cap" Dierks

1932 - 2021

A funeral mass for former State Sen. ML "Cap" Dierks, 89, of Ewing, will be Friday, Oct. 29, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Ewing, with Rev. John Norman presiding. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery with military rites provided by the Ewing American Legion Sanders Post 214. Visitation will be Thursday, Oct. 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church, with a parish rosary at 7 p.m. Cap died Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, at the Arbor Care Center in O'Neill. Arrangements are entrusted to Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill.

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Cap was born July 2, 1932, in O'Neill, to Lyle and Alys (Sanders) Dierks. He attended Saint Mary's Academy in O'Neill and graduated from Ewing High School in 1950. He obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in animal science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and was a charter member of Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity.

He served in the US Air Force from 1954 to 1956 during the Korean conflict. He then received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Kansas State University in 1961. He met his wife Gloria (Zoeller) of Manhattan, Kansas, and they married on Dec. 27, 1958. Together, they have four children; Jon, Tom, Chris and Stephanie.

As a veterinarian, Cap practiced out of O'Neill and also worked the Atkinson and Burwell livestock markets. He served on the Ewing school board, the St. Anthony's Hospital Board and represented the 40th Legislative District for 20 years. He was a charter member of the Organization for Competitive Markets. He will be remembered most for his integrity, unwavering promotion of Nebraska agriculture and natural resources and his staunch protection of the unborn.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Gloria; four children, Jon (Kim) Dierks of Lincoln, Tom Dierks of Lincoln, Chris (Suzanne) Dierks of Ewing, and Stephanie (Jerry) Upp of Gering; eleven grandchildren, Emily (Jordan) Bart, Nicholas Dierks, Brianna Dierks, Nathan (Chelsey) Dierks, Alex Dierks, Brady (Ashley) Dierks, Regan Dierks, Rachel Dierks, Kristen (Brett) Klein, Megan Upp and Kyle Upp; four great grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Gene Sprout of Redmond, Washington, and Paul Waters of Stockton, California; and several nieces and nephews.

Cap was preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Alys Sprout and Sandra Ann Waters.

The family wishes to extend sincere thanks to the staff at Evergreen Assisted Living and Arbor Care Center for their care and concern for Cap and his family.