Ruth B. Dietz

1925 - 2017

Ruth B. Dietz
June 6, 1925 - June 8, 2017
Ono
Ruth B. Dietz, 91, died Monday, June 5, 2017 in the Reading Hospital from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. She was the wife of Monroe J. Bohn who died in 1970 and Richard J. Dietz. Sr. who died in 2011.
Born in Millcreek Township on June 6, 1925, Ruth was raised in the Church of the Brethren and worshiped in the Christian faith and was the daughter of the late Jesse H. and Mary Darkes Ziegler. She was raised on a dairy farm in eastern Lebanon County and grew up milking cows by hand. After graduating from Newmanstown High School, she attended St. Joseph's School of Nursing, graduating in 1946 as a registered nurse.
She worked as a nurse at Lebanon Veteran's Hospital and the Lebanon Sanatorium in the operating room. After the death of her first husband in 1970, she became a co-owner of JP Donmoyer, Inc and stepped into a management role at a time when few women worked in the trucking industry. She continued at JP Donmoyer until 2014.
Ruth received many awards and was recognized as a pioneer for women in business including being the 1st recipient of the Lebanon County Athena Award in 1990. In 1996, she was selected one of the "50 Best Business Women in PA" and recognized as an "Entrepreneur of the Year in PA". Ruth also served on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association.
She was very active in the community helping to organize the Ono Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary in 1957 and served as its first President. She was a founding member of the Northern Lebanon Rotary Club in 1999. She served on the Northern Lebanon School Board for 16 years, the Lancaster/Lebanon IU Board, HACC Advisory Board, and the Penn State Harrisburg Advisory Council.
Surviving are two sons, Jeffrey L., husband of Barbara Bohn of Annville, Hans P., husband of Mary-Lynne Bohn of Carlisle, MA, step-son, Richard J., Jr., husband of Vicki Dietz of Lebanon; a step-daughter, Susan, wife of Richard Higginbotham of Overgaard, AZ; five grandchildren, Austin, Travis, Maxwell, Joshua, and Abigail Bohn; two brothers, Jesse S. Ziegler of Womelsdorf, Levi Ziegler of Neffsville; three sisters, Mildred Gnegy of Somerset, June, wife of Richard Blouch of Palmyra, and Virginia Sandifer of Arcadia, FL. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Crystal Bohn and a brother Roy.
Memorial services will be held on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at the Kreamer & Lum Funeral Home and Crematory, N. Rt. 72 and Campmeeting Road, Jonestown at 3 p.m. A visitation will be held on Sunday from 1-3 p.m. prior to the service. Inurnment will be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Shining Light Ministries, 1600 N. Rt. 934, Annville, PA 17003 in Ruth's memory.
www.kreamerfuneralhome.com