Wayne Dietz Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information

Dietz, Wayne W. Age 85 of Anoka. Graduate of St. Olaf College where he played baseball all 4 years. WWII Army Veteran. 60 year member of the American Legion, Masonic Lodge member. Wayne taught and coached 8 years in Hector, MN, taught in Anoka for 29 years where he coached football for 12 years and baseball for 22 years. He served as a Minnesota State High School League Official for 50 years. Wayne is a member of 4 MSHSL Halls of Fame including being a charter member of the baseball coaches Hall of Fame. He is a past president of the state's coaches association. He refereed the first state girls basketball games. He introduced girls serving as the statisticians and bat girls in baseball at the high school level. He was a long time member of the Anoka Greenhaven Golf Club. Preceded in death by parents, Walter and Precious Dietz; sisters, Remona, Ruth, Bernice, Clementine, and Charlotte. Survived by loving wife of 62 years, Elizabeth; children, Debra (Tom) Roen of Sedona, AZ, Cynthia (Jim) Fisher of Eden Prairie, Elizabeth (Jerry) Treece of Chicago, IL; grandchildren, Meghan and Kevin Fisher; sister, Roberta Ihnen of Lamberton, MN; brother, Burton (Betty) Dietz of Raleigh, NC. Funeral service Wednesday 11 AM at the Anoka United Methodist Church, 850 South St, Anoka. Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Visitation 5-8 PM Tuesday at Thurston- Lindberg Funeral Home, West Main St and Branch Ave, Anoka. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred. Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home Anoka 763-421-0220

This obituary was originally published in the Star Tribune.

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Elizabeth and Family:
Just today I learned of Wayne's death. I considered myself a friend of his as soon as I met him about 19 years ago when I began working for the High School League. He loved his wife and daughters and grandchildren -- and he just loved kids -- both in the classroom and on the fields and the courts. He got me involved in the men's golf club at Greenhaven and we played together as often as possible. It is a certainty that Wayne made a difference on this Earth. I wouldn't...

Howard Voigt

January 08, 2009 | Champlin, MN

Dear Liz and family,
I use to sell tickets to sporting events at AHS. You and Wayne were like grandparents to me. So very loving! I loved visiting with both of you before each basketball game. Wayne had the best sense of humor. He will be greatly missed!

Staci (Althouse) Skowronek

January 07, 2009 | Blaine, MN

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Mr. Dietz was a very special person and touched many lives. Our family's go back a long way and I have very fond memories.

Julia (Fichtel) Tollgaard

January 07, 2009 | Andover, MN

Dear mrs Deitz & family
I was very sorry to hear of the passing of a great and loving man, freind & coach. He taught me things that I will never forget, not only things in sportsc but in all of life. My sympahty is with you. and I will never forget him.

Paul Olson

January 06, 2009 | Sun City, AZ

Dear Dietz Family,

I am sorry to hear of the passing of Coach Dietz. The Alley family has many fond memories of the Dietz family as next door neighbors for all those great years.

Coach Dietz was a great baseball coach and we had a couple of great teams to prove it. He taught us how to do the little things on the field well. We have been able to take those things with us and apply them to our lives off the field. Thanks you Coach Dietz for those tidbits!

I and the...

Steve Alley

January 05, 2009 | Lake Forest, IL

To the family of Wayne Dietz;
Our thoughts and prayers are with you on the passing of Wayne. We knew him briefly and we were impressed with all his accomplishments. (The family of James Finkowski)

Helen,Audrey & Leonard Finkowski

January 03, 2009 | S. Deerfield, MA

Dear Elizabeth, Just before we took the field to "work" a football game, Wayne would put his hands on my shoulders and say, "Okay, Dick, settle down now...," knowing that my adrenalin was throwing me into a "rush." Since I retired from those officiating days, I have recalled those calming words many times to help keep me focused. It was truly a pleasure to know and work with Wayne and I cherished the time he gifted me to say "hello" by phone. He told such wonderful stories... and each one a...

Richard B. Weiger

January 02, 2009 | Mesa, AZ

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Catherine (Pfeil) Defenderfer

January 01, 2009 | Green Bay, WI

I remember Coach Dietz, when I went to Fredmoore back in the late 70s. I live in Escondido California since 1979 and Ive thought of Coach Dietz and wondered what happened to him and I saw his passing when I googled Anoka News. He was a guys guy and a great coach. I pass along my sympathies to his family, friends and all the kids he coached.

John Sorkness

January 01, 2009 | Escondido, CA

Wayne W. Dietz

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