Thomas William Dietz died on September 25, 2012. He was born in San Jose, Ca. on October 22, 1924. He moved with his family to New Town/ Davenport in 1928. He went to Pacific School, Mission Hill Jr. High and Santa Cruz High. In 1943 he joined the Army Air Corps, was transferred to the Infantry in charge of an antitank gun crew. After the war he worked at the Last Chance Mill as a lumberjack. In 1949, he started work at the cement plant in Davenport. In 1950 he went into the Navy Seabees doing construction and cartography in the Aleutian Islands and the Philippines. By 1952 he was back at the Davenport Cement plant as Head Powderman. He retired from the cement plant in 1986.

Thomas Dietz had many interests and hobbies. He loved to hunt, fish, make movies, build model airplanes and boats, take photographs, oil paint, make pastel drawings and etchings, woodworking, machining model steam engines, gunsmithing, archery, blackpowder guns, camping and traveling. He played Hawaiian slack string guitar, harmonica and the drums.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary; his two sons, Terry and Duane; his brother Richard; his uncle, George Snow, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Clara and William Dietz; his two sisters, JoAnn Rawson and Margaret Wagnon.

A short military gravesite service will be held on Monday October 22, 2012 11:00 am, at Gavilan Hills Memorial Park 1000 1st street Gilroy.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to your local Veterans organization.