Charles H. Dietrich

 Charles H. Charlie Dietrich, 88, of Cassville, died Saturday, March 14, 2009, at home surrounded by family. A Visitation was held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the Funeral service at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at St. Charles Catholic Church with Father John Norder officiating. Burial with Military Rites accorded by the Cassville VFW Post #7080 was held in the  St. Charles Cemetery,  Cassville Township. The Martin Funeral Home in Cassville served the family.

Charlie was born on September 22, 1920, in Cassville, the son of Henry and Margaret Dietrich. He graduated from Cassville High School in 1939 and served in the Army Air Forces for four years, primarily in Northway, Alaska during WWII. After being discharged from the Army, he worked in  Chicago, Illinois for the Milwaukee Railroad. Charlie returned to Cassville in 1947, where he worked for Finney Implement, for four years. In 1952, Charlie joined Dairyland Power Cooperative where he worked for 34 years, retiring in 1985.

Charlie served with the Cassville Fire Department for 25 years. He was a Cassville Village Board member for 20 years and was Village President for eight years. Charlie was a member of the Housing Authority and was appointed by the Grant County Board of Supervisors to the Great River Road Commission. He worked tirelessly with state and federal representatives to establish the Cassville Ferry to Millville, Iowa. The ferry tug continues to bear his name, the Charlie D. He served as president of the Cassville Harbor Commission. Charlie was also a member of the Hidden Valley/Tri-State Tourism Committee and was appointed by former Governor Tommy Thompson to a special task force on the state parks of  Southwestern Wisconsin. Charlie was a lifelong member of the St. Charles Catholic Church. He was also a member of the Cassville Civic Club, V.F.W., and Knights of Columbus.

In addition to his civic duties, Charlie was a wonderful father and grandfather who loved his family and community. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing and woodworking. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Charlie is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mildred Hess, originally from Glen Haven; his twin sister Charlotte Dietrich; daughters, Patricia (Robert) Gregory of Madison; Nancy (Michael) Wish of Onalaska; Susan Jones of Princeton; Madonna (Denis) David of Snohomish, Washington; and Mary (Allen) Lee of Cassville; six grandchildren, Stacia Myers-Kriesser, Krista Klaas, Robert Gregory, Jr., Dana Gregory-Vike, Michael Wish, Jr., and Nicole Wish; three great-grandchildren, Paige Kriesser, Jade Kriesser and Chase Gregory.

He will be joined in heaven with his parents, sisters Florence Weber and Agnes Dietrich, and son Steven Dietrich (survived by Deanna Dietrich).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Charles memory to the Cassville Harbor Commission,  Cassville, WI 53806.