WAYNE A. DIETRICH
Wayne Alvin Dietrich was born June 5, 1944 in Falls City, Nebraska to Alvin L. and Elda L. (Eickhoff) Dietrich. He grew up and attended school in Falls City. After high school Wayne worked with his father making steel bars for combine heads.
On November 28, 1981 Wayne was united in marriage to Marlene Kuhlmann at Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn, Nebraska. They made their home in Auburn until moving outside of town. After about 18 or 19 years the couple moved back into town.
Wayne worked for many years as a cook in Auburn, Nebraska City, and Percival, Iowa. His career in the kitchen included Marie’s Café, Good Samaritan Society-Auburn, the Auburn Senior Center, the Lied Center, and Apple Barrel Restaurant.
As a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Wayne was involved with LLL and served as Zone President. He was involved with starting both the ice cream social and soup supper at the church in the late 80’s. He loved to garden and for a time planted a truck garden to sell his produce. Wayne started a farmer’s market in Auburn. In addition to cooking as a career, he also enjoyed cooking as a hobby.
Suffering from ill health in recent months, Wayne was admitted to Bryan West Medical Center in Lincoln. He passed away there on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at the age of 75 years, 6 months, and 16 days. His parents Alvin and Elda, infant sister, parents-in-law Alvin and Ida Kuhlmann, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Myrna and Roger Corbin preceded him in death.
Wayne is survived by his wife Marlene of Auburn; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Merle and Lora Kuhlmann of Beatrice; nieces and nephews Christopher and Bonnie Corbin, Michele and Matthew Kinsey, and Tamra and Vinny D’Andrea; cousins, other relatives and friends.
A funeral service, officiated by Rev. Jonathan Rathjen, was Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn. Sandy Wilson was organist for congregational singing. Casket bearers were Jim Parrish, Doug Lueders, Dan Buman, Chris Corbin, Matthew Kinsey, and Vinny D’Andrea. Burial was at Trinity Cemetery south of Johnson.
Services were entrusted to Hemmingsen Funeral Home of Auburn.