Richard Franklin Dietrich, Sr., 83, of Columbia, died on Monday, November 14, 2022. Born in Ohio on November 19, 1938, he was a son of the late Franklin and Norma Yarnell Dietrich.
Richard was a member of St. Johns Methodist in Chattanooga, TN. He spent his life in construction, building homes & churches. His hobbies were wood working, furniture building and around the home projects. He spent his afternoons watching war and western movies and checking his eyelids for holes. He never complained, but when asked how he felt, he would reply "with my fingers". Mr. Dietrich loved to bake cakes and cook Sunday afternoon meals. Sundays afternoons were for a big meal and nothing else after 3:00pm. That time was for a nap; (Checking his eyelids for holes)
Survivors include his seven children, Debbie Ruotolo; Richard F. Dietrich, Jr. (Malinda), Dave Michael Dietrich (Deb), Pam Ouellette (Roger), David Patrick Dietrich, Cyndi Swafford, and Paul Dietrich (Anne); 24 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and one sister, Elizabeth "Betty Sue" Price (Jim). In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Roberta Dietrich; and four siblings.
The service for Mr. Dietrich will be held at 2 o'clock, Saturday, November 19th, at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia, 29223. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 1 o'clock. Burial will be held in Florence National Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Lighthouse Hospice, 110 Oak Park Drive, Irmo, SC 29063.