Born August 1, 1958, in Indianapolis, Indiana, he was son of the late William Thomas Dietz and Virginia Farrington Dietz. Nick spent his formative years in Downers Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, where he became a Cubs fan and lover of UNO’s deep-dish pizza. His family then moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he attended Grimsley High School. While working at Sears in Greensboro, he met the love of his life, Valerie Reece Dietz, with whom he shared 36 years of marriage. After graduation, Nick attended UNC-Wilmington and UNC-Greensboro. He began a career in construction and founded his own commercial contracting business, Interiors Group, Inc., which successfully served the Charlotte area for over 30 years.
Nick is remembered by family and friends as a man of many passions. When he wasn’t manicuring his lawn or vegetable garden, he could be found enjoying nature in other ways – birdwatching, hiking, and taking his beloved Isuzu Trooper down uncharted mountain roads. His “girls” may have begrudged helping with all the yardwork but agree that he always had the greenest grass and the freshest tomatoes. In addition to having a deep appreciation for art, architecture, and music, Nick loved cooking, traveling with his family, and memorizing seemingly every species of plant and bird in the state of North Carolina. A man of candor and integrity, he always wanted what was best for his family (a title that he extended to many people); Nick opened his home and heart to all that he knew. His family finds comfort in knowing that he got to see his Cubbies win a World Series in his lifetime.
Nick is survived by his wife, Valerie Dietz; his mother, Virginia Farrington Dietz; two daughters, Natalie Dietz Simmons (William) of Matthews, and Sarah Jane Dietz (Diego) of Washington, D.C.; a grandson, Emmett William Simmons; as well as his sister, Jennifer Dietz Brooks of Greensboro.
A service to celebrate Nick’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 9th at the Belk Chapel of Queens University of Charlotte, 2234 Radcliffe Avenue. The family will receive friends at the McInnes Parlors of Queens’ Burwell Hall following the service.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the Joe Martin ALS Foundation of Charlotte or the ALS Association.
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