Donald D. Dietrich

"I have fought the good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day. "¦ " II Timothy 4:7-8. A special loving husband for 58 years, an awesome daddy, grandfather and great-grandfather, he was peacefully taken at 2 p.m.Sunday, March 4, 2007, with his family surrounding him. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Thursday, March 8, was from 5 p.m.to 8 p.m., with recitation of the rosary at 7 p.m., led by the Knights of Columbus. Visitation resumes at the funeral home on Friday from 11 a.m.to 1:40 p.m.Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick Catholic Church at 2 p.m.Friday, with the Rev. Jerry Martin, celebrant. Interment with military honors atResthavenGardensof Memory. He was 83 and a native and resident of Baton Rouge. His life encompassed: altar boy at St. Gerard Majella Church; one of three members in 1940 state champion boxers for Catholic High School; graduating from Catholic High in 1941; attending LSU before joining the U.S. Navy in 1943 to serve his country in World War II in the Pacific Theater and suffering a severe hearing loss due to bombshells; completed national cash register school and Baton Rouge Business College; former business owner of Esso service station. retired labor market analyst for the Louisiana Department of Labor; retired credit manager for Sears; high school instructor for CCD with St. Alphonsus Church; usher at Sacred Heart, St. Alphonsus, St. Jean Vianney and St. Patrick's Catholic churches; member of the Catholic High Men's Club, Knights of Columbus, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars; past president of Park Forest Civic Association; and a builder/founder of Redemptorist High School. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Joyce Newman Dietrich of Walker. He is also survived by five sons and three daughters, Don Jr. and wife Becky of Rockford, Ill.; Kathy and husband Ernie Feierabend of Slaughter; David Dietrich of New Orleans; Joseph "Cosmas" Dietrich of Prairieville; Melissa and husband Kyle Kleinpeter of Baton Rouge; Greg and wife Connie of Metairie; Randy and wife Angie of Prairieville; Janine and husband Brian Jones of Baton Rouge; 10 grandchildren, Richard and Shawn Dietrich, Kayte and Devin Kleinpeter, Kathleen and Elizabeth Dietrich, Garret and Ross Jones, Seth Dietrich and Randi Marie Dietrich; two great-grandchildren, Tessa and Alexa Dietrich; special friend of the family, Dan Adams. He is survived by five sisters, Lodena Rivett, Jane Lambert, Mary Claire Garrene, Catherine LeBouef and Barbara Albarez; three brothers, William, Russell and Carl Dietrich; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Christian Henry Dietrich and Marguerite Catherine Kellum Dietrich; and four brothers, Milton, Christian Henry Jr., Stewart and Vernon Dietrich. Pallbearers will be Don Jr., David, Cosmas, Greg and Randy Dietrich; sons-in-law, Kyle Kleinpeter, and Brian Jones; and godson, Julius Bersuder. Honorary alternate pallbearers are Rickey Rivett and Marvin Garrene. We will miss you dearly, but we all know you're in our Lord, Savior and Father's loving arms, so kick up your heels just one more time!