John Marvin Dietz

John Marvin DietzJohn Marvin Dietz, 89, passed away on April 11, 2013 in Bellevue, Washington. John was born in Corpus Christi, Texas on August 10, 1923. His parents were Dr. Irving M. Dietz and Mrs. Anna Pollok Dietz who moved to Corpus Christi in 1919 prior to the big storm later that same year. John, one of five brothers, had a great love for choral music and sang in school, college, church choirs, and Barbershop Quartets. He also enjoyed sailing, was entrepreneur at heart, and was a Life Scout in the BSA. He graduated from Corpus Christi High School in 1941 and went on to Texas A&I College. John earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry in 1944. While there, he was President of his Freshman Class, the Delta Sigma Chi Fraternity, and the Student Body. Upon graduation from college, John began his career as a Chemist at a new defense plant operated by Sinclair Refining Co. in Corpus Christi, Texas which made high-octane aviation fuel for some of the latest warplanes. John worked to become Sinclair Oil's Resident Chemist for their Corpus Christi operations. John & Marilyn (Anderson) were married in 1954 and settled in Corpus Christi, not far from where their folks lived. In 1961, John's first son (also named John, but nicknamed Niel), was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Soon after the birth of their first son, John and his young family transferred to a beautiful suburban Township south of Chicago, Illinois called Olympia Fields. John served on the staff of the Chief Chemist for Sinclair Refining Company, working in their Laboratory Headquarters. There, he was assigned the responsibility of managing Sinclair's laboratory testing which included seven refineries and chemical plants. In 1963 he was named Chairman of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Petroleum Products Committee Research Division on Gas Chromatography. In 1966 their second son, Andrew 'Andy' Christian Dietz, was born. Shortly afterwards, John launched his career as a process analyzer engineer and promoted his company's effort to test production samples on line. This saved valuable time in testing samples that had up until that time required transporting them to the plant laboratory for subsequent analysis. He developed procedures working with Contractors on process analyzers for testing refinery unit streams using the first computer controlled gas chromatograph system. This prompted his to give a paper on the subject at the American Petroleum Institute (API) meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1968. After retiring from Sinclair/Atlantic Richfield in 1971, John worked for several companies including Amoco Oil, in Whiting, Indiana, followed by Celanese Corporation in Bay City, Texas, and finally CE Lummus (an Engineering subsidiary of Combustion Engineering) in Houston, Texas. While with CE Lummus, John was assigned to Mobil Oil Company for a huge, 3-year project that was a joint operation with the Saudi Arabian Government to build a large petrochemical complex on the Red Sea at Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. During the time he was overseas, John was met by his family to take vacations to Europe, Norway, and Mediterranean countries. He retired in 1985 and built their retirement home on Camp Meeting Creek in Kerrville, Texas which they thoroughly enjoyed. Marilyn's passing in 2004 occurred just prior to their 50th wedding anniversary. John moved to Newcastle, Washington in 2006 to live with his oldest son's family, located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains east of Seattle. For seven years, he enjoyed being a part of his son's life and family, watching all three of his grandkids grow up, the great home cooking, and relaxing by looking out over the nearby mountain ranges. John was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville, Texas and a Charter member and former Deacon of Parkway Presbyterian Church in Corpus Christi, Texas. He also helped organize Westminster Presbyterian Church in the Mission Bend area of Houston, Texas.He is preceded in death by his wonderful wife, Marilyn, son Andy, and three brothers, Irving, Robert, and Henry. He is survived by his son John McNiel (Niel) and daughter in-law Carla Dietz, and three grandchildren: Breanna, Sarah, and Andrew all of Newcastle, Washington. He is also survived by his youngest brother, Barnard Dietz of Plano, Texas as well as many nieces and nephews.Graveside services will be held for John Marvin Dietz on April 20, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. located at the Glen Rest Cemetery in Kerrville, Texas. He will be buried in the Dietz Family plot alongside his wife, Marilyn Anderson Dietz, and youngest son Andrew Christian Dietz. The service will be conducted by his former neighbor and dear friend Dr. Robert Carpenter of Southern Oaks Baptist Church, who will be accompanied by his son, David Carpenter, who will provide instrumental music. Visitation will be held April 19, 2013, 5-7 PM at Grimes Funeral Chapels.The family requests that any donations be made to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Association at P.O. Box 105, Glenolden, PA 19036. Condolences may be sent at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the 'Send Condolences' link.Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.