Charles L. Dietz (1936-2022)

DIETZ, LONGSCHWAGER, FERGUSON, THOMPSON, KOZAK

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/11/2022 at 09:55:44

Charles L. “Charlie” Dietz, 85, of Maquoketa, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Friday morning, July 8, 2022, at MercyOne Medical Center in Dubuque, Iowa.

A celebration of his life will be held at 11 A.M., Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at First Lutheran Church in Maquoketa. Visitation will be held prior to the funeral from 9:30 to 11 A.M. at the church. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery, Maquoketa, with military honors.

Charles Leland Dietz was born on October 29, 1936 in Elwood, Iowa, to Roland Leland and Katherine (Longschwager) Dietz. He was a 1954 graduate of Elwood High School and attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls for two years. He was drafted into the Army in 1955 and served his country receiving an honorable discharge in 1957. He continued in the US Army Reserves until 1959. He married Donna Jean Ferguson on March 20, 1958. To this union two children were born, Craig and Cory. Donna preceded him in death, and he later married Margo Thompson on February 9, 1967. Margo preceded him in death, and he later married Karis Ketelsen Kozak on May 22, 1977.

Upon receiving an honorable discharge, Charlie returned home to Iowa and first worked as a cook at his grandparent’s diner in Clinton. He then worked for his father at Dietz Processing Plant in Elwood, Iowa until he took a job with Servisoft in Maquoketa. In 1964 while still working at Servisoft, he began his next career, Dietz Painting and Drywall, mainly working nights and weekends. Eventually, this would become his full-time job. He retired in May of 2015.

Charlie was a member of First Lutheran Church in Maquoketa. He was generous with his time, talent and resources. Some of the additional organizations that benefited from his involvement were Maquoketa Optimist Club where he served as a past Governor of Iowa in 1977, Maquoketa Volunteer Fire Department where he served as the rural Fire Chief for several years, Sunshine Daycare and Preschool Board of Directors, and the Mount Hope Cemetery Association Board of Directors where he had served as the president for over 50 years.

Charlie enjoyed golfing, bowling, fishing, playing Euchre, and was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Karis Dietz of Maquoketa, IA; children, Craig (Scarlet) Dietz of Maquoketa, IA, Cory (Cheryl) Dietz of Colorado Springs, CO, and Anne Kozak of Claremore, OK; 4 granddaughters, Danielle (Jake) Riley, Elena Dietz, Morgan Dietz, and Clarissa Dietz; and siblings, Kathy Carstens of Independence, IA and Allan (Naomi) Dietz of Davenport, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Donna, second wife Margo, a daughter Jane Kozak Breitsprecker, and a grandson Brogan Craig Dietz.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be directed to the Maquoketa Optimist Club, Mount Hope Cemetery Association, or the Maquoketa Fire Departments.

Online Condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.