Ty Dierkes wore many hats, but none were bigger than his role as philanthropist

ZANESVILLE — Whether as a funeral home director or serving the community, Ty Dierkes wore many hats.

He was director of Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home, served as a longtime member of the West Muskingum Local Schools Board of Education and was a prominent board member of the Muskingum County Animal Shelter Society.

He died on Sept. 21 at 60, surrounded by his family. He left behind a legion of friends and supporters whose respect toward him was almost universal.

There is also a philanthropic presence in the community that won't be easily filled.

"Ty was a mountain of a man with a booming voice and huge presence, but Ty was a Teddy bear if you really knew him," West Muskingum Superintendent Chad Shawger said. "He was as generous as anyone I've ever known. He donated so much time and money, not only to West Muskingum, but our entire community."

Dierkes was an Ohio Valley native who graduated from Hannibal River High School in Monroe County. He graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science in 1985, spent time as a volunteer firefighter prior to his days in the funeral industry and was also named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Zanesville Daybreak Rotary. He was also part of the Amrou Grotto Lodge No. 45.

Cody Dierkes, Ty's son now the funeral director at Bolin-Dierkes, said his dad possessed a passion for helping people and giving back, which especially showed while comforting families that had lost loved ones.

"He had a big heart, a booming but comforting and reassuring voice, a loving and cheerful personality that was one of a kind, and he was naturally selfless," Cody Dierkes said. "He earned the respect of everyone through his impeccable work ethic and attention to detail, being up front and honest with people, doing things the right way and worked until he got the job done."

April Cohagen-Gibson, executive director of The Animal Shelter Society Inc., said Dierkes was one of the first people she contacted when she took on the role. He spent three years on their board.

The Animal Society had recently presented Dierkes with the Paw-sitive Partner Award for his dedication, which is not only for those who support the shelter monetarily but for those who believe in its mission and that he did, Gibson-Cohagen said.

His contributions also led The Animal Society to honor Dierkes by dedicating its board room to him with a plaque at the door that states: "A strong gentleman who invested in The Animal Shelter Society to improve the lives of the animals and those who cared for them."

His impact went beyond the animals, remarked Gibson-Cohagen.

"Ty was a strong board member of The Animal Shelter. He made sure that I was doing what I needed to do to make sure not only the animals were being taken care of but the 15 staff members who are working for minimum wages," she said. "That truly bothered Ty that we were not able to pay our staff anymore than we were able to. He attended our events and supported us not only financially, but with business recommendations for the day to day operations.

Dierkes visited often for walk throughs and check on the shelter. His compassion for the animals was among the reasons he started a pet crematory. Gibson-Cohagen said Dierkes wanted the animals to have proper burials, and his staff would show up in suits and run the service properly and appropriately.

"He had a real compassion for animals," she said. "They treated the animal like a human, and the dignity he put into those services were second to none."

Shawger called Dierkes "a great and true friend" who was wholly invested in helping children succeed.

"Ty never thought of himself or wanted the credit," Shawger said. "If he saw a need, he addressed it, and if it needed funded he always helped. In our last conversation he told me how proud he was of what we had accomplished at West Muskingum."

The West M board lost one of its most valued members, Shawger added.

"He was always the voice of reason," Shawger said. "He was rarely the first to react, but when he spoke everyone listened. He was a respected voice that wanted the best for our administrators, faculty, staff and students as he prayed before each meeting."

Cody Dierkes said his dad valued relationships with people as much as anything in his life.

"He made sure you were taken care of, had what you needed and would do anything to see someone smile," Cody Dierkes said. "I won the lottery having a dad who loved and care so much for me. And I owe him everything for it."

sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR

bhannahs@gannett.com; X: @brandonhannahs

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Ty Dierkes remembered for legacy of philanthropic work in Zanesville