Kenneth Eugene Dirkson

1943 - 2025

Kenneth "Ken/Dirky" Eugene Dirkson, 82, of Hobson passed away with his family by his side Thursday, August 7, 2025 in Lewistown, MT.

Ken was the youngest son and the fifth of six kids born on March 4, 1943 to Ray and Sylvia Dirkson in Lewistown, MT. Ken graduated from Hobson High School in 1962; he would have graduated a year earlier, but as the story goes, he held himself back so he could play one more year of sports. Four months later, on September 15, 1962, Ken married the love of his life, Marcella "Marcy" Pallett; he was looking forward to celebrating their 63rd anniversary. This union brought him his daughters Kimberly and Stacy.

After their wedding they moved to Moore, MT where Ken started hauling coal to different areas across MT. However, that only lasted a few months when a job opportunity with the General Telephone Company in Santa Barbara, California came up. California you know... where dreams are made. This is where his life long career as a telephone splicing technician and lineman started. During their time there they thoroughly enjoyed the lifelong friends they made and the beach life, but Montana kept calling him home (just needing to get back to his true love working back on the ranch some).

In 1971, he, Marcy, and Kim relocated to Butte, MT, where he began employment with the Mountain Bell Phone Company. One notable incident from his career occurred while he was working in Gold Creek. He received instructions from the Denver main office to address a situation in Dillon, MT. Shortly thereafter, the office contacted him again inquiring about his location. It is important to note that traveling from Gold Creek to Dillon is not a brief journey; it typically requires approximately two hours by car, and even more time when operating a large bucket truck. Evidently, the distance on the map appeared deceptively short to the Denver dispatch team.

If you were around in Butte or Stanford, you may have run into him at the Deluxe, Freeway, Race Track, or the Pump Bar visiting with friends and telling stories. If you did not see him there and you needed some help, he was always available to give you a hand. If you wanted the shirt off his back, it was yours.

In 1995, he moved to Havre (early retirement just was not for him) to work for Triangle Telephone Company. After a few years continuing to work for Triangle they moved to Stanford, which put him closer to the ranch in Hobson. In 2012, Ken finally retired from phone work with 49 years in the field. He then moved to the ranch and was able to spend his time doing what he loved most, working his ranch from sunup to sundown every day until his recent health complications.

In the summer times if he was not helping at the ranch you would find him camping somewhere or at one of his favorite fishing holes. Some secrets will stay secrets. When it was hunting season, he had his tags and came home with all tags filled. You know, if you were with him, he would tell you it only takes one bullet... NOT! You would see him and Stacy in his pickup looking for some deer/elk and then he would take the shot and load it into his pickup. Once he got home, he did all the meat processing himself, (nope he did not need to have someone else do it for him). Ken also butchered and processed his own beef and pigs yearly with Marcy and Stacy to help.

Ken enjoyed double six dominos and card games, particularly cribbage and pinochle. Like all Dirksons, he played pinochle with a competitive flair, often slapping cards down and asking, "Why did you play that card?" or "Why didn't you play that card four hands ago!?!"

If you stopped by the ranch, there was always a pot of coffee on and a conversation to be had. Although he most likely wouldn't be in the house, but rather, out fixing fence to TRY and keep all the cows in (which he decided was an absolute impossible task), working in the barn or shop fixing something or just puttering around.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Sylvia Dirkson; parents-in-law, Bill and Doris Pallett; brother, Chuck Dirkson; sister-in-law, Katie Dirkson; brother in-law, Larry Yaeger; and nieces and nephews, Laurie Anderson, Ellen Cerovski, Brent Dirkson, Brian Halverson, Roxann Howser, Dean Pallett, Betsy VanRaam, and Austin Wilson.

Ken is survived by his wife, Marcy; his siblings, Ted (Irene) Dirkson, Joe (Pat) Dirkson, Jerry (Sharon) Dirkson, and Diana (Brian) Zins; sisters-in-law, AnnaMarie Dirkson, Betty Yaeger; brother in-law, Donald (Donna) Pallett; his children, Kim (Tom) Hayes and Stacy Dirkson-Leitner; his grandchildren, Joe (Brandy), Pat and Ashley Hayes, and Colt Leitner; his great-grandchildren, Jordan Rockwell and Kennedi and Kieran Hayes. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.

Services for Ken will be held at Creel Funeral Home, Friday, August 15, 2025, 1:00 p.m.; cremation has taken place. Inurnment will be at the Philbrook Cemetery in Hobson followed by a reception at the Utica Hall.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements are under the care of Creel Funeral Home. Ken's family and friends can share memories and condolences at www.creelfuneralhome.com