Harry Dierks Obituary

Harry Lawrence

Dierks

September 14, 1950

October 20, 2021



Harry Lawrence Dierks, II was born on September 14, 1950, at St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City, Colorado. He was the sixth of seven children and the third son of Eugene Herbert and Irene Crouse Dierks. He attended St. Michaels Catholic Grade School and Holy Cross Abbey College Preparatory School in Canon City.

While growing up in Canon City, Harry was an active 4-H member. He loved animals, particularly cats, and often had a cat perched on his shoulder when he was busy doing his daily chores. Although he eagerly participated in the family's hobby of training and showing Shetland ponies and horses, however, his favorite 4-H activity was gardening. Harry loved to work with the soil and see things grow and he continued with his passion for gardening throughout his life.

Harry spent most of his play time with his older brother, Steve and his younger sister, Debbie. Harry's sister, Jackie, liked to refer to her three youngest siblings as "The Three Musketeers." The trio were always coming up with inventive ways to entertain themselves including playing cowboys and Indians on their ponies, playing "Tarzan" by swinging and jumping from a pair of ropes which hung from the cross timber of a large telephone pole swing, balancing themselves on homemade stilts made from scrap lumber, taking flight on their bicycles from makeshift ramps, and jumping from the barn roof wearing superman capes made with twine and grain sacks. Harry's favorite thing to do was to play radio station. Inspired by his mother's early career in live radio, Harry liked to pretend that he was a radio announcer and would introduce his sister, Debbie, who then played the part of a live performer on his program. Harry was determined that someday he would make a career in radio.

While attending college at Southern Colorado State University in Pueblo, Colorado studying mass communications, Harry was the not so lucky #1 winner of the first military draft lottery. In typical Harry fashion he said, "It's the first raffle I have ever won. I would rather have the money, though, than the all-expense-paid, two-year vacation". He received his formal draft notification just one day after he was voluntarily sworn into the U.S. Navy. Harry completed boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois and was first stationed at the Glynco Naval Air Station in Brunswick, Georgia. It was there that he met the love of his life, Gladys Maria DeCaria. Harry and Gladys were married on February 16, 1974 and continued to serve together in Brunswick until Harry's term with the Navy was complete. During that time, Harry secured his first position working in radio, as a part-time, weekend announcer at a local Brunswick station.

After Harry completed his term in the Navy, Gladys opted to remain in the Navy and was transferred to Dallas, Texas. The couple purchased their first home in Carrolton, Texas. Harry, while continuing with the Naval Reserve, began to spend a great deal of time in the production room and learned everything he could about the radio business, programming and producing. He was eventually offered a lucrative position in Roswell, New Mexico as a radio program director for AM and FM radio as well as for television. Harry accepted the new position and he and Gladys relocated to Roswell. Harry joined the Navy Reserve and continued to fill in part of the time as a live announcer on radio. While in Roswell, Harry became quite adept at producing commercials for both radio and T.V. and actually appeared in a few of his own T.V. commercials.

When the corporation that owned the station in Roswell began to explore the option of synchronizing all of their stations with prerecorded programming, Harry faced the end of his opportunity for live broadcasting, which was his main passion for radio. He pursued the possibility of buying his own station, but eventually took a position with KRDO radio in Colorado Springs, CO in 1987. He and Gladys purchased a home in Security, Colorado.

While doing live broadcasting and promotional appearances at various business locations around Colorado Springs, Harry completed his college education at Regis University. He established The Dierks Group, an independent company specializing in selling and producing advertising for radio and T.V. Harry also conducted seminars for local businessmen to instruct them in ways they could integrate radio and T.V. advertising with their printed exposure like yellow pages advertising.

True to his gregarious nature, Harry readily made new friends. He founded an Optimist Club in Colorado Springs and was, before long, the state governor for Optimist International in Colorado. He was a well-respected member of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. He conducted Dale Carnegie courses and served as a volunteer for Junior Achievement. Harry was a faith-filled man and an active member of St. Dominic Catholic Church in Fountain for many years, serving as a lector, Eucharistic Minister, and as a member of the committee charged with building the new church; he also served as a sacristan, a member of the parish council and he worked in the sound booth. His outgoing and charismatic personality made him well-known throughout the Colorado Springs area, and he was loved by everyone who knew him. Harry's Facebook humor was an anticipated daily delight for many; even after he was barred from Facebook, he amassed several hundred friends in a matter of weeks under his new pseudonym. Harry eventually retired in 2018. A few years later, he and Gladys sold their home in Security and moved to Pueblo, Colorado.

He was preceded in death by his father, Eugene Herbert Dierks; his mother, Irene Crouse Dierks; and his older brother, Eugene Herbert Dierks, Jr.

Harry is survived by his wife, Gladys Maria Dierks. Harry is also survived by his sister, Katherine Kunselman (Ralph) of Canon City, CO; his sister, Mary Joanne Schutte of Olathe, KS; his sister Jacqueline Jean Dierks of Kansas City, MO; his brother, Stephen Roger Dierks (Barb) of Colorado Springs, CO; and his sister, Deborah Ann Montgomery (Robert) of Leawood, KS. Although he and Gladys never had children of their own, Harry was dearly loved by his 11 nieces and 10 nephews who share fond memories of his youthful playfulness, his John Wayne impression and his funny, entertaining antics.