John Vernon Dietz

John Vernon Dietz, 91, passed away Monday, October 2, 2017, at Sanford Health, Bismarck. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 am Friday, October 6, at St. John’s Catholic Church, Wahpeton. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Wahpeton. John was born April 22, 1926, in Wahpeton, ND. He attended high school in Wahpeton and North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo, where he obtained a degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1949. John served in the 1st Infantry during World War II. He then returned to Wahpeton where he became the Richland County Supervisor for the FmHA. He also farmed near Wahpeton. On July 5, 1949, he married Audrey Ehlen at Morris, MN. John and Audrey were married for over 55 years at the time of Audrey’s death. John was a member of the American Legion for 63 years. For more than 30 years, he and Audrey had a cabin on Ottertail Lake, where they enjoyed visiting with family, and John enjoyed fishing. In 2011, John moved to Bismarck, where he resided with his daughter, Kathryn. John is survived by his two children, Kathryn Dietz, Bismarck, and Michael (Kristine) Dietz, Rochester, MN; daughter-in-law, Donna Dietz, Bonita Springs, FL; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Audrey; his son, John A. Dietz; and his siblings, Eugene, Loretta, Lucilla, Hildegard, Magdalen, and James. John enjoyed socializing at the Senior Centers in both Wahpeton and Bismarck. The family requests any memorials be made to those centers.