Alan Armin Diel

      

      

      

Alan Armin Diel, age 84 of Palm Cay (Ocala), Florida, died in his sleep June 21, 2023 after dealing with some tough health situations these past years. He made it to his 60th Father’s Day and was in good spirits that day while chatting with his children and grandchildren.The following Tuesday, things got worse and he had to be moved from home hospice to a hospice care facility. The angels on duty that evening welcomed him, helped him shower and settled him into bed. He was looking good when his bride of 61+ years, Barbara Kay (Wohlford) Diel got there to spend some time with him as he was thinking of a Milwaukee Brewer’s vs. Tampa Bay Rays World Series. She was able to get there in time to sit and chat with him a bit before he fell asleep, kissed him goodnight and said goodbye.

Alan was born at the Tally Ho tavern/rest stop/post office, etc. in Thompson, Wisconsin on October 21, 1938 to Armin Peter Diel and Anna Emma Schenk. He recalled hiking across the field behind his parent’s tavern/home to the Erin schoolhouse, and “rolling his own smokes” back in his dog’s house behind the tavern. The Franciscan order Holy Hill church, with it’s tall bell towers, sat upon a hill visible from his childhood front porch and his grandparent’s dairy farm was just down the road.

 Alan started his adult life at the age of 16 when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps just as the Korean War was winding down. He fortunately didn’t see any combat, but shared some fond memories of being in boot camp as a “Hollywood Marine” in San Diego like Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., with Sergeant Carter being his favorite character as he watched along with us. He was also stationed Okinawa, Japan with the local folks thinking he was a “Japanese Movie Star”, and finally at Camp Lejeune. After his honorable discharge in July of 1959, he went to work for Max Gendelman of Century Hardware. It was there, actually at a co-worker’s parent’s cottage “Up North”, that he met his future bride Barbara. Turns out she was a bit of a sore loser after Alan and his friend beat her and her friend at a game of horseshoes. But the rest is history, and what a wonderful history it has been!

 Alan was a wonderful father, grandfather and great-grandfather, husband, uncle, neighbor and friend. He took his young family camping every vacation he and Barb were able to manage. Fishing, hiking, tree climbing, hunting, to the movies, to the drive-in in the family station wagon, to museums, historical sites, zoos, circuses, etc. He worked hard, smart and did all the things a good dad and husband should do for their family. To include moving his young family from Port Washington to Niagara, straight up old Hwy 141 in 1974. When he first saw the Niagara bluffs along the Menominee River, he knew that was the place for us and what a wonderful thing that turned out to be for our entire family! As the winters got colder, snowier and longer he talked more and more of wanting to live in Florida. After three years of volunteering for the National Park Service at Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, Alan and Barb made the big move official in 2001.

 Alan ended up achieving his final three life goals. To be a great-grandpa (4 times over, plus kitties, puppies, a chinchilla, etc.), to make it to the age of 80 (no other Diel relative made it past 78), and to not outlive his hard-earned money. Well done and missions accomplished!

 Alan is survived by his loving wife of 61+ years, Barbara Kay (Wohlford) Diel, their children Brian (Christine) Diel, Dana (Mark) Michaud, Paula (Scott) Garrett, their grandchildren Alexander and Nick (Ece) Diel, Charlie (Amanda) and Kasey Webb, Adam and Brett (Elizabeth) Michaud and Emma Garrett. Alan and Barb were/are also blessed with 4 great-grandchildren, Mitchell and Carver Michaud and Weston and Eli Webb. Also surviving are his brother and sister-in-law Dale and Karen (Wohlford) Staege, nephew Ted (Karen) Staege, nieces Joan (Tim) Paterson, Kay (Don) Patrick, Elaine (Staege) Thiele, their children, friends/neighbors and friends/neighbors of our friends. Alan was blessed to have so many people be a part of his life.

Alan was preceded in death by a sister he was with when she tried to come into this world, his parents Armin and Anna (Schenk) Diel, his in-laws Paul and Arline (Bowman) Wohlford, grand- and great-grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, other family and friends.

Our family would like to thank many people for making Alan’s last years as comfortable as possible. To everyone at the hospitals, clinics, his favorite VA near Beverly Hills, Florida, home hospice, hospice facility, all the nurses, para-professionals, doctors, kitchen folks, housekeeping, senior social workers, Medicare, etc. who have all helped Alan have more quality years with us. Thank you, bless you, you are all angels.

 Private internments will take place at places special to Alan. He has had many places to visit over the years, but his main place of interest always came back to the first place he mentioned and showed us. He didn’t know it at the time, but he chose a mound in a forest near a spring that happens to be a 1,000+ year old Native American burial mound. Alan also loved wolves his entire adult life. They mate for life, love the woods, and raise their children together as a family, just like he did. Since he started having his series of declines in health, wolves have come along via a trail camera to say Hi to him.

Every time prior to these past few rush trips to Florida. The day before he died was no exception. A lone wolf came by the camera in broad daylight, and was smiling, welcoming him as he was about to start his final journey.  

 In lieu of flowers, cards, memorials, etc., if you would like to honor Alan, please do something kind for a stranger. He and Barb did things for others their entire lives, he would like that. Thank you.