Michael D Diefenbach

Michael "Mike" Diefenbach Michael "Mike" D. Diefenbach, 63, passed away on May 16, 2017 in Ellensburg, WA. He was born on September 24, 1953 in Eugene, OR. While still a toddler, Mike moved with his mother, Pauline (Ross), to Ellensburg. At the age of ten, Mike was adopted into the loving care of Frederick H. Diefenbach.

Mike graduated from Ellensburg High School with the class of 1972 and went on to get his associate's degree in Computer Science from YVCC. Mike really loved four things: farming, fishing, using his computer, and traveling. Shortly after high school, Mike began farming on his own, as well as farming with his father. In the late 80's, Mike went to work for the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer. He took a lot of pride in his work with the KCSO, becoming a sergeant. He got a great deal of satisfaction from training new officers and, on a monthly basis, going to the Corrections Academy, where he tested new recruits.

But Mike always considered himself to be through and through a farmer. After leaving the Sheriff's Office, he went back to working with his father on the family farm, eventually taking over the running of the farm once his parents had passed. Mike loved the work and challenges of operating a family farm. He enjoyed dropping in and just being about the neighborhood sharing farm and his pet dog stories. His cousins had great respect for him, looking to him as their hero. The family will always treasure the memory of Mike speeding on a four-wheeler, baseball cap on, his pet dogs running alongside to the next farming project to accomplish.

Any opportunity to fish was NOT to be missed. For a number of years, Mike and his partner Noella spent Memorial Day weekend up at Lake Roosevelt with friends on a rented houseboat. It looked like a duck and her ducklings with the houseboat chugging down the lake towing usually three fishing boats. He was a frequent visitor to Lake Chelan, where he used his computer knowledge to assist his friend Anton with his fishing business. Of course, that always led to a fishing trip.

One year Mike and Noella went to Hawaii and went out to try to catch a trophy fish. Unfortunately, it was not to be. But, if there was water to put a boat in with a line out for fish, Mike was all for it. Mike and Noella did quite a bit of traveling, including 6000 miles one three-week trip back to Scotts Bluff, NB. They stopped at every historical site they could find, whether it was Native American, an old army fort, or an old territorial jail/prison. Another year they drove down to Arizona, again visiting all of the historical sites they could find. After getting his degree, Mike really developed a genuine love for the computer and enjoyed using it whenever he could, such as being the treasurer and contact person for his high school class and its reunion.

He really enjoyed reading newspapers online from around the world and used the computer to aid him with his farming as much as possible. For many years, Mike served as a Director for the annual Ellensburg National Art Show. He really enjoyed spending time with the artists and buying their work. In 1985 Mike became one of the original members of the Kittitas County Community Accountability Board working with youth in trouble with the law, which sent them his way. Many young people gained a great deal of understanding and input from him. It is doubtful that any that had once met with Mike ever offended again.

He is survived by his uncles Robert Diefenbach, Lanney Ross and Dennie (Avis) Ross and numerous cousins and many friends. Mike was preceded in death by his parents; Uncles Leo "Buck" Ross and Jim S. Ross.

There will be a celebration of Mike's life with a potluck B-B-Q on Saturday, July 22nd, at the North Alder Street Park from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be supplied.