John E. Dierks

John Edward Dierks, of Las Vegas, passed away Oct. 25, 2014. He was born May 14, 1939, in Clinton, Iowa, to John A. Dierks and Cecilia Marguerite Dierks. He was a high school track and field star, who earned a scholarship for pole vaulting to the University of Dubuque in Iowa where he graduated with a degree in business. After service in the U.S. Army, John settled in Palos Verdes, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. He co-founded Rogers-Dierks, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of replacement jet engine parts for many global airlines. He also co-founded KREC 98.1 radio in southern Utah. During his business career, he was at the helm of 11 companies. His many positions took him around the world, where he was privileged to build lasting relationships with friends and business associates. John's many hobbies also saw him traveling the globe. Motivated by an intense desire to learn foreign languages, including Spanish and French, he immersed himself in various cultures, often living and attending language school abroad. In 1997, he became one of the few Americans to be inducted into the Chevalier Du Tastevin, a society dedicated to promoting the wines and cuisines of Burgundy, France. John proudly achieved over 8.1 million vertical feet in helicopter skiing in Canada, and was also a U.S. Auto Club-licensed RS Champ driver, a certified yacht captain who enjoyed cruising on the Mediterranean from the south of France through Italy, an avid tennis player who competed in tournaments throughout Europe, and a golf enthusiast who was an active member at Spanish Trail Country Club in Las Vegas. John divided his time between homes in Las Vegas and the French Riviera. He was a member of the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles since 1969, the Yacht Club de Monaco, and Crown Aspinalls in London. He is survived by his beloved wife, Amaryllis; his daughter, Denay Vogel (Jim); son, Dean Dierks (Dione); sister, Jacqueline Dierks-Walker; and six grandchildren, Nicole, Jimmy, and Carolyn Vogel and Kennedy, Keaton and Brady Dierks. Services will be private.

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