John E. Dietel

HURLEY, Wis. — John E. Dietel, 82, of Hurley, died unexpectedly Sunday, May 19, 2013, in his home.

He was born Dec. 28, 1930, in Prentice, son of the late Arthur and Alice (Jeske) Dietel, attended school in Oma, and logged for his stepfather at a young age.

He served in the U.S. Army in Korea as a combat infantryman, receiving the Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany) and National Defense Service Medal. He then spent 20 plus years in the Army Reserve, and was activated for one year during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

John logged for Steiger Lumber Co. for several years, and was employed as a heavy equipment operator on the pipeline for the R.A. Retzel Co. out of Nebraska, retiring at the age of 50 in 1980.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Hurley, Hurley American Legion Post 58, and Iron County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1580. He loved spending time in the woods and at his cottage on Pine Lake, and will be dearly missed by his family and grandchildren.

John was married to Gwendolyn M. Wallis on Oct. 1, 1957, in Pine City, Minn. She survives.

Also surviving are three daughters, Kathleen (Larry) McElvain, Racine, Melinda (Erick) Nasi, Hurley, and Lisa (Kevin) Noll, Sturtevant; six grandchildren, Capt. Jamie Nasi, U.S. Army, Kurt Nasi, John Noonan, Austin Noll, Michael Noll and Samantha Noll; two great-grandchildren, Axl and Zachary Noonan; two great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Ethel Lindblad, Bessemer, Mich., and Delores Leoni and Ruth DaPra, both of Hurley; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, John was predeceased by two brothers, Earl in infancy, and Fred; and a sister, Mary LaVerdure.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 23, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 10 a.m., at the First Presbyterian Church in Hurley, with the Rev. Don Nickolson officiating.

Committal will take place at the church, where full military honors will be accorded by the combined Hurley American Legion Post 58 and Iron Co. VFW Post 1580 Honor Guard.

Luncheon will follow at the Iron Nugget in downtown Hurley.

Burial will be in the Hurley Cemetery later this spring.

Pallbearers will be Erick, Jamie and Kurt Nasi, and Kevin, Michael and Austin Noll.

McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood, Mich., is in charge of arrangements, where condolences may be shared online at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.