Peggy Jo Dietmeier

Peggy Jo (PJ) Dietmeier, age 77, and a resident of Corrales, New Mexico passed away on Friday, August 25th, 2023, at the Retreat in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. She was born on June 22, 1946, to parents, Joseph William Dietmeier and Margaret (Peg) Ellen Edwards Dietmeier at the Hinsdale Sanitarium & Hospital in Hinsdale, Illinois.

She graduated from Valley High School in 1964 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After graduation in the fall of 1964, she went to ENMU for one semester. If they had a class Areana 101, she would have had at least one A that semester. She wanted to go run barrels at the WPRA level.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Aunty Betty; cousin, Mike Dietmeier of Henderson, Nevada; ex-husband, Ronald G. Koll, April 2018 of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and her partner in crime, Richard D. Fry, Oct. 5th, 2010, of Standfield, AZ.

She is survived by several cousins, Terry Lewis (Gary) of Grand Junction, CO., Merry Smith (Randy) of Plan, Ill., Linda Dwyer Potter of Las Vegas NV., and Bill (Bonnie) Dietmeier of Northbrook, Ill.
PJ became a resident of the Southwest at the age of three. She grew up in the South Valley until high school when her parents moved to Corrales and built a home on Gosset Lane. Her parents were on their way to California when their car broke down here. That's when Joe started Dietmeier Horse and Stock Trailer in the garage of their home in the South Valley, one block South off Rio Bravo. It was a welding shop then he moved it to West Central Ave. above 98th Street.

Peggy Jo got her first horse at the age of seven, the horse was a grade Palomino Pony, and it went from there. Dr. Springstead once stated that in his next life he wanted to come back as one of Peggy Jo's dogs or horses. She liked to travel with her mother to different places, and their last trip was to New York City to see the lights of Broadway and to go up in the Empire State Building. Peggy Jo was a lifetime member of both AQHA and New Mexico Quarter Horses Association.

Peggy Jo held her AQHA judges' card for over twenty years, as well as judges card in Palomino Horse Breeder of America, Paint Association, Buckskin Association, and NMQHA where she served as a director and VP. She judged in every state in the USA but eight. She judged twice down in Australia, several times in Canada and in England, Ancona Italy, La Touquet France, Panama, and Switzerland. Her travel partner outside the USA was her mother, Peg. Several times Peggy Jo judged World shows for different associations. PJ was also a gold card holder with WPRA, as well as a director. She made Western TV commercials in Italy for Dr. Enzo Berney with her ex-husband, Ronnie Koll. At the downs of Albuquerque, she was a pony person and trainer. She also was a plumber helper for two years for Art Hedrick in Corrales. The first day on the job she learned that paydays were on Fridays and sh*t does not run up hill.

In her early twenties she entered the all-girls rodeo in San Antonio, Texas on a dare in the bareback, with borrowed rig-gin, chaps, and spurs. She won it and stated the hardest part was getting off with the aid of the pick-up man.

Peggy Jo loved to dance, be it on a tabletop at a rodeo in a bar in Idaho. If there was a live band and place to dance she was up for a good two step or a fast jitter bug, not to forget a good waltz. She once made a statement that the video by Brooks & Dunn with Reba "Cowgirl Don't Cry" was about her life with her father, Joe. They were very close in their own way.

She qualified twice for the NFR in barrels but had to turn it down because of an injury to her horses. The last time, Richard wanted to lease a horse for her to go, but her dream was to go to the NFR on a horse that she trained.

In the fall of 1977, she won the senior barrel race sweepstakes on Dial's Rascal, her black gelding, at the Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio, she beat 125 other senior horses. In her lifetime she showed two horses to AQHA Champions, Poco Mickey and Jack Kyle (aka Skipper) and one Superior Champion Dial's Rascal in barrels.

Peggy Jo was no stranger to youth activities, she worked with several youth groups and the Exceptional Rodeo Program sponsored by PRCA and AQHA. In her youth she was a member of the Bernalillo County Junior Sheriff Posse.

She also won several saddles and different team roping shoot outs in AZ. and NM. Peggy Jo was also a lifetime member of the World Series of Team Roping. One year she won the high point saddle from NMQHA on Skipper. She was also the first all around youth champion for AQHA. Skipper became known as the Golden Gelding in the horse world in the USA.

Peggy Jo also judged the New Mexico State Fair Queen contest several times. She was also the horsemanship coordinator for the contest before moving to Standfield AZ.

Peggy Jo followed her grandfather Dietmeier and father as well Aunt Betty and cousin Mike, the cause of death due to Alzheimer's.

The committal service will be held Tuesday, September 19th, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE Albuquerque, New Mexico in the best friend section of the cemetery.