Thelma Marie Dietrich

Thelma Marie Dietrich, age 94, of Williamsburg, passed away Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at Mercy Hospital Hospice, Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, October 7, 2019 at Trinity United Church of Christ, rural Marengo, with Pastor Tim Miller officiating. Burial will be in the Zion Cemetery, rural Ladora. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, October 6, 2019 at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. A memorial fund has been established.

Thelma is survived by her daughters, Lonnett (Frank) Dietrich Blakley of Riverside, Ica (Kenneth) Shaull of North Liberty, and Ellen (Kurt) Stevenson of Tiffin; two grandchildren, Nathan (Katie) Shaull of Bertram, and Matthew (Kimberly) Shaull of Hiawatha; three great-grandchildren, Keagan and Kyler Shaull and Raphael Shaull. She is also survived by two sisters, Frieda Reno of Marshalltown and Dorothy Miller of Mt. Vernon.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Leonard of 68 years, a sister Helen Haman, and three brothers Herman, Ernest and John Punke.

Thelma Marie Punke Dietrich was born June 20, 1925 the daughter of Charles Garret and Ica Ogal Mercer Punke. She graduated from Marengo High School. Thelma was united in marriage to Leonard Kenneth Dietrich on September 10, 1946 in rural Marengo. The couple took over the task of running the family farm in Lincoln Township, which they worked for 60 years. In 2006, they retired from the farm and moved to Williamsburg. Thelma enjoyed gardening in her vegetable and flower gardens. She canned a variety of goods from green beans to tomatoes. She baked incredible apple pies, and cookies of all kinds. Thelma was also a seamstress, making clothes and handmade quilts.

The truest philosophy of Thelma and Leonard and their family can be found on a large wooden plaque made by a family friend: “There are no strangers here…Only friends we haven’t met.”