Fred Dieckman

FRED A. DIECKMAN

Cedar Rapids

Fred A. Dieckman, 90, of Phoenix, Ariz., formerly of Cedar Rapids, passed away Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, after a brief illness and just shy of his 91st birthday.

Fred was born at home in Farmersburg, Iowa, on Dec. 23, 1929, to parents Fred and Kathryn (Bernhard) Dieckman. He graduated from Farmersburg High School in 1947 and worked for a time at the lumber yard in Farmersburg, before entering the Army for two years and serving in Germany as part of The Marshall Plan. After returning from the service, he moved to Cedar Rapids, where he worked for many years at Allen Motor Co. selling used cars. In 1958, Fred married Jeanette (Jan) Tripp. They later divorced. Fred worked at Link Belt Speeder for over 20 years and then for General Mills before retiring in 1992.

Fred lived for 60 years on his acreage out on Mount Vernon Road, caring for many animals, tending a large garden and spending many a day mowing many acres of grass. He enjoyed trips to the local Hy-Vee, having coffee and conversation with his friends. Years later when the horses, goats, dogs, chickens, ducks and geese had long since passed, Fred always had a barn full of cats that he devotedly fed every morning and every evening.

He lived on his own until the summer of 2018, when relocated to Phoenix to live with his daughter and son-in-law. He lovingly tended to the graves of his family in Giard Cemetery every Memorial Day weekend, only missing during the two years spent in military service and in 2020 due to travel restrictions from COVID-19. One day in the future, his ashes will be returned to Giard, where they will be placed near the graves of his family.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Verna and Winnifred; brother-in-law, Robert Bock; and his former spouse, Jan.

He is survived by his daughter, Ann, and her husband, Bob of Phoenix, Ariz.