John Thomas Dietz

John was born on May 20, 1936 to Joseph and Grace Marie Dietz (Wassmann) in Beach, North Dakota where he grew up on a farm with his siblings. He graduated from Sentinel Butte High School in 1954. Later that year, on November 18, 1954, he married his high school sweetheart, Doris Trester. Together they raised one son, Larry, and two daughters Linda and Lorri. They were married for 63 years before Doris passed away.

After high school, John moved away from the farm to start his own career, he tried out being a vacuum salesman, insurance salesman, delivering and picking up laundry, and even the railroad, none of which lasted very long. He then got a job as an Ironworker, it ultimately became his lifelong career which started at the Titan Missile Bases in South Dakota. In 1967, after the start of his Ironworking career, he decided to move the family to Oregon due to the amount of work that was available. They stayed even though Doris didn’t much like it. He was a part of the Iron Workers Union until he retired in the late 1990’s.

John was preceded in death by his eldest grandson, Steve, in 2007; his oldest daughter, Linda, in 2016; and his wife, Doris, in 2017.

He is survived by, Larry (Kathy) Dietz, Lorri Henry, and Richard Wilkin; as well as 6 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, siblings, and many friends.