Ronald Elmer Diener

Funeral services celebrating his life will be held on Monday, July 20, 2026, at 10:00 A.M. at Zion Lutheran Church in Abilene with Pastor Craig Sanders officiating the service. Interment will follow at Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories. The family will receive friends on Sunday, July 19, from 2-4:00 P.M. at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home 5701 US Hwy. 277 S.

Ron was born on August 14, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan. He was one of five children born to the late Leslie Henry Diener and Lillian Marie (Houghten) Diener. He was raised in Trinity Lutheran Church where he was baptized in December of 1939 and confirmed in March of 1947 after attending a Lutheran parochial school.

When Ron’s country needed him, he was there. In the Army, he entered basic training at an Army boot camp in Wisconsin. While in the military, he had the honor of being a marksman. While serving his country, he was stationed in Colorado. He was an Army Motor Sergeant and loved every bit of the military, a position he was destined for. There was nothing that Ron could not fix.

He married Jean Haight on November 14, 1954, in Detroit, Michigan. Soon after marriage, they started a family together having Pamela, Bradford, Douglas, and Judy. All of whom they adored.

After serving in the military, he entered Dale Carnegie School of Sales, where he excelled and helped succeed selling life insurance and real estate until moving to Texas.

In 1967, Ron and his family relocated to Abilene, Texas, where he remained for the rest of his life. After moving to Abilene, Ron initially worked for Benect Pharmaceutical before beginning a lengthy career with the Abilene Reporter-News. While at the Abilene Reporter-News, Ron served as the building superintendent. During his tenure, he oversaw the newspaper's expansion from 1972 to 1989.

Ron served as the building superintendent of First Baptist Church from 1989 until he and his wife’s retirement in 1996, when they moved to Coleman, Texas. The couple then moved back to Abilene in 2002, to be closer to family.

Ron enjoyed restoring cars and fishing. He also loved to travel with his wife, Jean. The couple had a deep passion for traveling all throughout America and overseas. The couple traveled throughout Canada and parts of Mexico. Ron loved Europe; traveling to Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, and Romania in 1997.

Church was important to Ron and Jean. While in church Ron served as Sunday school teacher for many years. Throughout the years, they also had a relationship with Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Abilene and Grace Lutheran in Brownwood.

Ron loved his family deeply. Ron was a proud veteran of the United States Army having served from 1953 until 1955. Ron was also a proud member of the Sons of the American Revolution and was even more proud to be veteran of the Korean War.

Ron believed in giving back to his community. Ron was a commander of a couple of VFWs, particularly Post 57. With the assistance of his friend, Joe Johnson, they created Post 61 where he was a lifetime member. He helped open the Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Abilene in 2009. He was a distinguished member of the DAV.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Diener; daughter, Pamela Gaston and her husband George; granddaughter, Abbi Diener; siblings, Leslie Diener, David Diener, Timothy Diener, and Corinne Zienert.

He is survived by his, sons, Bradford and his wife, Diann Diener, Douglas and his wife, Deborah; daughter, Judy Li Anne and her husband, Arthur Rocha; grandchildren, Mary, Taylor, Heather, Brandy, Hannah, Bradford, John. Ron had 15 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions can be made in his name to Zion Lutheran Church Debt Reduction Fund (2801 Antilley Rd., Abilene, TX 79606).