David A. Dircks

David Alan Dircks, age 65 of Mishawaka, went to be with the Lord on Friday, December 12, 2025. David was born July 6, 1960, in Niles, Michigan to the late Frederick and Kathryn (Sirokovas) Dircks. He was a graduate of Brandywine High School and later enlisted in the US Navy, serving his country honorably until his discharge in August of 1982. On October 1, 1994, David married the love of his life, Valerie Chandonia, in Walkerton, Indiana. They recently celebrated 31 years of love, laughter and marriage.

David is survived by his wife Valerie and their children, Crystal (Jason) Greco, Joshua Dircks, Victor Dircks, Victoria (Nate) Bingle, DaLynn (Nick) Jones, and Derick (Vicki) Dircks. Surviving as well are the grandchildren he adored, Gianna, Laila, Grace, Adalynn, Lilyahna, Draxton, Natalyn, Adalyn and Devin. He was preceded in death by his parents and his granddaughter, Daysi.

Visitation will be held from 2-4 pm Friday, December 19, 2025 at Cruz Family Funeral Home in Osceola, with Military honors and funeral services to follow at 4pm. David will be laid to rest in the Indiana State Soldiers' Home Cemetery in West Lafayette, Indiana in the Spring of 2026. Cruz Family Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Osceola has been entrusted with his care.

David was employed for many years as a plow truck driver for St. Joseph County and later worked as a forklift operator at Heartland Automotive, where he was loved by management and coworkers alike. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing and hunting, watching movies, and spent time being a “good old Indiana picker!” He dearly loved his pets, especially his dogs, and he also enjoyed cooking, making a pot of chili that family and friends always looked forward to.

Most of all, David loved the Lord with all his heart. He took time to truly get to know others and loved without judgment. He will be remembered as an amazing husband, father, and “Paw Paw” to his grandchildren, who loved him immensely. David had a great sense of humor and spoiled Valerie every chance he had.

To light a virtual candle, share a story of David’s life, or leave a message of comfort for his family, please follow the links provided on the Guestbook tab above.

Disclaimer: All obituaries published by Cruz Family Funeral Home are the intellectual property of Cruz Family Funeral Home. They may not be copied, edited, altered, reproduced, or scraped for use on any other website or platform without explicit written permission. Unauthorized use, duplication, or modification of any obituary content is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action.