Dale H. Dietz

Dale H. Dietz, 69, of Kimball, died at University Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado surrounded by his family on Thursday, May 11, 2017 after a heroic battle with leukemia. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2017 at the First English Lutheran Church in Kimball with Pastor Caryl Miller officiating. Inurnment will be held in the Kimball Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 1:00 until 5:00 p.m. to sign the register book and leave condolences for the family. Friends may also visit http://www.cantrellfh.com to view Dale's Tribute Wall and leave messages of sympathy for the family. Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, The Wounded Warrior Project, or the donor's choice. The services for Dale have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.

Dale Herman Dietz was born in Kimball, Nebraska on November 18, 1947, the son of Herman and Maxine (Bellman) Dietz. He was a lifelong resident of western Nebraska. He attended Kimball Public Schools until his family moved to Alliance in 1963. Dale graduated from the Alliance High School in 1966. After high school and graduating from Denver Automotive Institute in 1967 he worked for several automobile dealerships in Kimball and Alliance. He also worked for Oilfield Pipe and Supply, Diesel Service and Patt's Marine. Dale started his own business, Dale's Mag, Mower and Marine, which he operated for several years before accepting a position with the Kimball Public Schools as Transportation Director. Dale served the Nebraska National Guard for 8 years, retiring as a Sargeant First Class. He was a proud member of the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department, holding several positions within the department, including Assistant Chief. As an active member in the community, Dale was an EMT, served on the Board of Public Works, the Kimball Airport Authority Board and was a lifelong member of the First English Lutheran Church. Dale and Jo belonged to the Lodgepole Valley Camping Club and thoroughly enjoyed their outings with its members. Dale was married to Kathy Hickman in 1972 and adopted her daughter Liesl (Leigh) before Jeffery Dale was born in 1974. Dale later married JoAnn (Plombon) Menard in 1988 and became a loving father to her daughters Theresa and Lisa.

Survivors include his wife Jo Dietz of Kimball, NE; son Jeff (Carla) Dietz of Oak Grove, LA; daughter Liesl (Leigh and Reuben) Shideler of Wentzville, MO; step-daughters Theresa (Andy) Park of Evanston, WY., and Lisa (Adam) Jones of Eden Prairie, MN; and 14 grandchildren; brothers Harley Dietz of Kimball, NE., and David Dietz of Lincoln, NE; sister Elsie (Ken) Vincent of Kimball, NE; sister-in-law Shirley Dietz and numerous nieces and nephews. Dale was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Jim and infant Charles, sisters-in-law Chris and Merceda and brothers-in-law Gene Simms and Milan Nore.