EARL W. DIEDRICHSEN, 80

(veteran)

Earl W. Diedrichsen, 80, of Blair, died Saturday, June 13, 2009. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 19, at the First Baptist Church, 205 S. 18th Street in Blair.

Earl W. Diedrichsen was born Dec. 5, 1928 in Scribner to William F. and Frieda Bentrup Diedrichsen.

He attended grade school in Rural District No. 24 from 1935 to 1943. Upon graduation, he attended Scribner High School (1943-1947). He was very active in the FFA (Scribner chapter), being elected secretary once and president, twice. His efforts were rewarded with scholarships from the Union Pacific and Carl Raymond Gray, along with an achievement award from the Dekalb Agriculture Society.

In 1947, he enrolled in the College of Agriculture, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He graduated in 1951 with a bachelor’s degree in vocational education and a minor in agronomy. Upon graduation, he began his practice teaching at Fremont High School.

He was drafted into the Army on Sept. 14, 1951. He did his basic and advanced training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He was assigned to the 826th Engineer Aviation Battaliion, Company B and moved to Camp Wolters Air Force Base at Mineral Wells, Texas. He achieved the rank of sergeant, performing the duties of company clerk until his honorable discharge Sept. 14, 1953.

Upon his return to Nebraska, he resumed work at the Burlington repair shop in Lincoln. Mid-term of that school year (1953-1954), he accepted a teaching position in Barneston. He taught vocational agriculture and was FFA advisor there until July of 1957. From Barneston, he moved to Ravenna High School where he taught until 1962. He then taught at Sargent High from 1962 to 1967. In 1967, he moved to Blair where he taught at Blair High School until 1970.

In 1970, he switched careers. He was trained as a mason/bricklayer while working at Chadwell Construction until 1975. When construction slowed, he accepted a local position with Schmidt Monument Company in Blair. Then-owner Jerry Peterson trained Mr. Diedrichsen in the trade of monument layout, fabrication and installation. He retired in 1995, but then worked part time at the local No Frills grocery and with McKinnis Roofing.

Mr. Diedrichsen was a lifetime member of the American Legion. He commanded Blair Post 154 from 1990-1996. He loved baseball and worked to promote the local sport by helping to build at least five parade floats with Legion friends and others.

In the fall of 1998, declining health forced him to move into Parkside Manor Assisted Living. In 2004, he met his lovely wife-to-be, Lois Sukut. On Dec. 26, 2004, they were married at the First Baptist Church in Blair. They have been faithful and active in this church for the past several years.

He is survived by his wife, Lois; daughters and sons-in-law, Susan Marie Diedrichsen of Omaha; Sara and Mark Trueblood of Webster City, Iowa; and Sharon and Robert Brandbury of Collinsville, Miss.; four grandchildren; a sister, Alice Frieda Diedrichsen of Scribner; sister-in-law Rosalie Diedrichsen of Osmond.

He was preceded in death by two sisters and three bothers: Linda Kurrelmeyer; Ella Staver Brockmuller; Ralph and Howard Diedrichsen; and Ivan Diedrichsen; and his first wife, Alice Kruger Diedrichsen of Blair.

Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church, Blair; and the Veteran’s Tribute Plaza, Blair.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

FindaGrave memorial # 174984423