Roger Dieterich

Age 86, a resident of New Mexico since 1951, went peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, February 2, 2013, and left all of his earthly illnesses and pain behind. Roger was born August 7, 1926 in Dubuque, Iowa to Arnold A. Dieterich and Gertrude E. (Ahrendt) Dieterich. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946, as a Radioman 3rd Class aboard the PCE 882 and PCE 842 (both destroyer escorts) during and after WWII. The PCE 882 crew received service ribbons for the Liberation of the Philippine Islands and a ship citation was awarded the PCE 842 for following a large floating dry dock, adrift in a typhoon in the Western Pacific Ocean. While on station in the Philippine Sea between Guam, Philippine Islands and Japan, one of the duties of the PCE 882 radio crew was sending weather reports every 2-4 hours and to aid B-29 crews returning from missions over Japan. Roger attended college at the University of Dubuque and also the University of New Mexico. He spent four years as a sales agent and supervisor for Mid-Continent Airlines in Kansas City, KS and Minneapolis, MN. He then moved on to his career as an Air Traffic Controller and supervisor employed by the CAA / FAA at the Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center, where he worked for 33 years, retiring in 1982. He was preceded in death by his parents and his in-laws, Glenn Schrack and Margaret (Felsing) Schrack. He is survived by his sweet, loving wife of 60 years, Cossette (Schrack) Dieterich; son, Roger Dieterich, Jr.; and six grandchildren, Roger III, Caroline Grandchamp (Reid) and great-granddaughters Natalie and Amelia Grandchamp, William, Harrison, Wesley, and Jillian, all of Colorado; daughter, Peggy Murtagh and husband, Mike; and three step-grandchildren, Sarah Murtagh, Melissa McManus (Jared), Daniel Murtagh (Rachel); and four additional great-grandchildren, Ryan, Kaylie, Elizabeth, and Roryn, all of the eastern U.S. Roger is also survived by his sister, Dorothy Wick and husband Warrington of Dubuque; sister-in-law, Beverly Schmeltzer of Albuquerque; many nieces, nephews, and cousins including his good friend and cousin, Arline Dieterich, also of Dubuque, and his longtime barber and friend, Gerald Aragon of Ambrose Barber Shop. In his spare time, Roger enjoyed coaching for the Altamont Little League in the 1960's, and after retirement, spent 10 years as a volunteer tax preparer for Albuquerque Senior Services and an election poll official. The family wishes to thank the many physicians and their staff that took such great care of Roger through the years, only some of who are Doctors Kathleen Allen, Peter Walinsky, John Liljestrand, Chris Patton, Vincent Ortelano, Mitchell Binder, Beth Saltzman, Kathy Ligon, Gary Schroeder, and Steven Roholt. We are most grateful to the staff and directors at The Cottages Alzheimer's Care Community in Albuquerque, and especially his "buddy", Morris. Their compassion and loving care go far beyond mere words. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, February 16, 2013, 11:00 a.m., at Central United Methodist Church, 201 University Blvd NE. If desired, Roger has requested contributions to be made to the American Cancer Society, 10501 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Suite 300, Albuquerque, NM 87111 or the Alzheimer's Association, 9500 Montgomery NE, Suite 121, Albuquerque, NM 87111.