Elizabeth Deitz

Deitz, Elizabeth C. "Lou"

passed quietly away in her home with her family around her on March 29, 2025. She was 97.

The daughter of United Presbyterian Church missionaries, Elizabeth ("Lou") was born and spent her formative years in India in the 1930s and early 1940s. She was educated through high school at Woodstock, a Christian boarding school high in the Himalaya Mountains, where her faith, her natural intellect and her desire to be of service to the world were nurtured and encouraged, and these values defined her life.

Graduating from Woodstock, Elizabeth left India to attend Westminster College, continuing to excel in her studies and taking on more leadership roles. Following graduation, Elizabeth attended UPenn, where she taught classes and earned her MA in English literature.

While at UPenn, Elizabeth met and became engaged to James G. (Jim) Deitz, son of a dear friend of her mother's, who was also studying in Philadelphia. Upon their graduations, they traveled to Cleveland, OH, where they happily married. Elizabeth was assisted in this by Dr. Edith Brown, also a dear friend of her mother's, as her parents, still in India, could not be there.

While Jim attended seminary and became a United Church of Christ (UCC) minister, Elizabeth made a loving home for their family of four children, and always participated fully in the life of the church. During Jim's more than 60-year Ohio ministry, they served at Beaver UCC in Beavercreek; St. John UCC in Strasburg; Trinity UCC in Miamisburg; North Congregational UCC in Columbus; and Community Congregational UCC in Amherst. After Jim's retirement, Elizabeth and Jim joined First Church in Oberlin. They also joined Ely Presbyterian Church in Ely, MN, which they attended every summer. Elizabeth, always maintaining her dedication to service and the wider church, taught Bible study and was a pivotal volunteer for CROP, UNICEF, and Neighbors in Need. She sold SERRV products, helped with overnights for Family Promise, and knit over one hundred hats for women undergoing chemotherapy.

Elizabeth and Jim loved traveling, and as their family grew they bought a cabin on a beautiful Northern Minnesota lake, where they returned with as much of their family as possible every summer until they were 90. It was the Minnesota Lake Country that afforded Elizabeth the most opportunities to hike, swim, water ski, canoe, watch birds and pick the wild blueberries she loved so much.

Elizabeth is survived by three children, Dorothy, Daniel (Linda) and Ruth (Robert); and thirteen grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, James; her brother, Thomas; her parents, James and Dorothy; and her son, Charles.

A celebration of Elizabeth's life will be held at Beaver UCC, 1960 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek, on April 26, 2025, at 2:30 pm. Visitation with the family will be held from 1:30 – 2:30 pm in the sanctuary. A meal will be served following the service; all are welcome. The service can also be found on YouTube (Beaver UCC) and Facebook (Beaver United Church of Christ).

Memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.routsong.com. Memorial contributions may be made to UCC Global Ministries (globalministries.org/donate), or to a favorite charity.