John Edward Dietrich DDS

1926-2018

Dr. John Edward Dietrich of Mission Hills, KS, died February 22, 2018, in the arms of his family, after a long, happy, and meaningful life. He took great pride in his family and loved his chosen career.

Services will be held Saturday, March 3, at 2 p.m. in Combs Chapel at Country Club Christian Church, 6101 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO. A reception at Indian Hills Country Club, 6847 Tomahawk Road, Mission Hills, KS, will follow. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

John was born July 21, 1926, in Kansas City, MO, to Leo August and Gertrude (Weber) Dietrich. With younger sister, Barbara Jean, and a crew of cousins and neighborhood boys, he enjoyed a happy childhood. He attended Gladstone Elementary School and graduated from Northeast High School in 1943.

With the recommendation of his high school counselor, he began work at the “Warbird Factory,” the North American Aviation Plant in Fairfax, as a “Rosie the Riveter,” fabricating wing sections for the B-25 “Billy Mitchell” bombers.

A year later, he enlisted in the US Navy. After training, he was stationed at Norfolk Naval Air Station in Virginia. Still only 18, he was charged with inspecting repairs on damaged planes—mostly Grumman Wildcat and Hellcat fighters—and certifying them for flight readiness to return to the Pacific Theater. He earned the rank of Third Class Petty Officer before mustering out of active duty in 1946.

GI Bill in hand, John enrolled in William Jewell College, and joined Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. He completed majors in history and biology, and stood proudly in the ranks of the Centennial Class of 1949, graduating in three years.

His next stop was University of Kansas City School of Dentistry (now UMKC School of Dentistry). John earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery diploma in 1953 and opened his first dental practice in Kansas City, KS.

During his 16 years in general practice, he became interested in root canal therapy—endodontics—a specialty newly certified by the American Dental Association in 1963. After postgraduate extension coursework through the Naval Hospital at Bethesda, MD, and certification by the ADA, he limited his practice to endodontics in 1969.

John became the first endodontist in the state of Kansas, a pioneer in his specialty. He also was the first endodontics chairman of the Kansas Dental Board, a post he held for 23 years.

He treated over 40,000 patients during his 37 years of endodontic practice in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, and strove continually to offer leading edge competency. He retired the day before his 80th birthday, completing a 53-year career in dentistry.

John was a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and of the American College of Dentists. He was past president of the Wyandotte Dental Society, past Kansas state president of the American Association of Endodontists, and life member of the American Dental Association and Kansas Dental Association.

After being commissioned as Ensign in 1950, his Navy career continued during much of his dental career. He rose through the ranks of the US Navy Reserve Dental Corps, retiring as Captain in 1986.

John met his future wife, Barbara Middleton, at an early Kansas City Ski Club meeting in 1956. They were married the next year at Country Club Christian Church, and blessed with daughter, Diana, and sons, Douglas and Spencer, in the next decade. Last November, they celebrated 60 years of marriage. John was a devoted husband and father and shamelessly doted on their five grandchildren.

He was ever known for his infectious smile, friendliness, generosity, and sense of humor. He kept a twinkle in his eye. He loved children, animals, ice cream, and peanuts at the ball game. He was an impressive whistler and gifted singer.

John proudly served as a St. Luke’s Hospital volunteer. He was a duck hunter and a bird watcher. He traveled to most of the United States and to countries on five continents. Dental journals, golf magazines, and WWII books were bedside reading.

John was a member of Indian Hills Country Club and enjoyed golf there for 45 years.

He was a lifelong major league baseball fan. In the 1955-1960 era, he took great joy in being team dentist for the Kansas City Athletics. He held Royals season tickets for decades and saw every home game of the I-70 World Series.

He is survived by wife Barbara, daughter Diana of Washington D.C., son Douglas and wife Lilly of Mission Hills, son Spencer and wife Leslie of Boulder, CO, and by grandchildren Jordan, Henry, Devon, Kurt, and Elizabeth. He is also survived by his sister Barbara Weber, sister-in-law Patricia Covington, niece Susan Hansen, and nephews Scott Weber and Michael Covington and their families.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Dr. John Dietrich Endowed Scholarship Fund at William Jewell College, 500 College Hill, Liberty, MO, 64068; to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org; or to a charity of choice.