Deno B. Aguirre 1920 - 2008

AGUIRRE, BURGE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/22/2014 at 19:50:09

Sioux City Journal
30 March 2008

Deno B. Aguirre, 87, decorated World War II veteran, was delivered into the hands of God, surrounded by his family, on Friday, March 28, 2008. Deno was a lifelong resident of Sioux City.

Deno will be cremated under the direction of Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. In respecting his wishes, there will not be a public funeral service. However, the family will hold a memorial service at a later date to honor Deno's life.

Deno was born May 21, 1920, in St. Joseph, Mo., to Juan and Felicita Aguirre. His family moved to Sioux City when he was 6 years old. He attended Sioux City schools.

He was joined in marriage to Mildred W. Burge in Sioux City on Sept. 27, 1940. They were blessed with five children. One of the most important events of his life was his service in the military. He served with the U.S. Army, 319th Infantry Division, 3rd Army, under Gen. George Patton. He was part of the effort to liberate concentration camp survivors during World War II. When Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Prize Laureate honoree, came to Sioux City for the dedication of the Holocaust memorial, Deno and Elie Wiesel talked and realized they had been together on the same night, in the same concentration camp -- one as a soldier, the other as a prisoner of war.

During Deno's service, he earned a Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star, a Good Conduct Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, an American Defense Medal, a European Campaign Medal, an Army of Occupation Medal and an Honorable Service Pin. He received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army on Jan. 3, 1946. After the war, he served with the Army National Guard for 15 years.

He worked for Great Northern Railroad for 36 years and was honored by the company for community service activities. He was on staff at the Mary Treglia Community Center, served on the SIMPCO Board, was past president of the Siouxland Spanish Speaking Society, director of the Riverside Neighborhood Center, was a Boy Scout leader, a member of the Woodbury County Equal Opportunity Commission, the Human Rights Commission and the Mayor's Committee on International Visitors. He was a judge advocate for the VFW Post 7690. His employer once said, "Deno spends almost every free hour he has working for the betterment of his community. ... Deno is the leader of the Spanish-American community; they look to him for advice and guidance."

Deno spent many years in service to his family, his country and his community. The number of calls from around the country from friends and family speak to the great number of lives he touched. His brother said, "Deno was a great warrior." His great-grandson has said, "I am very proud that Deno was my great-grandfather because he has worked hard in his life. He was a very caring person who has given a lot to his community." Another grandson said, "He was a great man ... ethical and honest, living a life with integrity."

His hobbies included history, photography and gardening. He loved sports, particularly watching basketball with his sons. He loved music and enjoyed art. His favorite activity was visits from his family, where he would talk about history and his war experiences.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 67 years, Mildred; his daughters, Donna Ziehm and husband, Gene of Fort Collins, Colo., Janet Mechikoff and husband, Bill of Sioux City, and Barbara Fowler of Tulsa, Okla.; his sons, Ramon Aguirre and Roman Aguirre, both of Sioux City; his brother, Roman Aguirre and wife, Merci of Omaha; sisters, Josephine Nelson of Whitebear Lake, Minn., Dolores Lang of Sioux City, and Mary Coon and husband, John of Sioux City; a sister-in-law, Rose Aguirre of Sioux City; his grandchildren, April Lestico and husband, Mark, David Swenson and wife, Lori, John Swenson and wife, Cheryl, Matthew Swenson, Angela Stokes and husband, Steve, Kristi Ward and husband, John, Richard Mechikoff, Nick Mechikoff and wife, Terri, Jennifer Patterson and husband, Brent, Marc Fowler and wife, Gina, Kelly Valdez, Charles Fowler and wife, Tamara, Corey Aguirre, Justin Aguirre, Nikayla Aguirre and Joseph Aguirre; and 23 great-grandchildren.