Obituary for Jill A. Dietz (Sherlitz)
Jill A. (Sherlitz) Dietz, 90, of Smokey Hollow Road, Baldwinsville, passed away
on Sunday May 17, 2015. She was born in Michigan on January 5, 1925. An
adorable baby, she was soon adopted by Otto Sherlitz and his fashionable
wife Margaret. Her best memories of her childhood were of playing with and
training the dogs her mother raised, which she counted as the beginning of
her teaching career, and of visits to her cousin in Fergus, Ontario.
Jill graduated from Wayne University in Michigan with a degree in art, and
later, earned a Master’s degree in education at SUNY Oswego. This was the
beginning of a teaching career spanning 30 years, initially as an art teacher,
and later as a classroom teacher. She took a personal interest in each of “her
kids”, sometimes expressing a wish that she could just bring some troubled
youngster home with her. Teaching was the joy of her life, and she will be
remembered by many who were her students.
When not teaching, she was traveling. Every vacation, or even a three day
weekend, she was off somewhere, on a camping trip, or traveling the world
by car, plane, train, or cruise ship, looking for adventure. One way or another
she visited every state in the union, and many countries in Europe, always
taking family or friends along with her, and snapping thousands of pictures
as she went.
Jill was a devout Christian, and very active member of Phoenix United
Methodist Church. She gave many sermons as a lay speaker there, and
painted a beautiful mural in the Narthex. She wore out her favorite Bible,
and was known for her warmth and generosity, her unfailing sense of humor
and her ready smile.
Jill was predeceased by her loving husband of 57 years, Kenneth M. Dietz, Jr.,
on June 27, 2013; her son Kenneth P. Dietz, on September 19, 1981;
her grandson, Joshua Dietz.
Surviving are her children, John C. Dietz of Charlotte, NC, Katherine R.
and her husband Bruce Coville of Syracuse, and David J. and his wife Lisa
Dietz of Phoenix, NY; a daughter-in-law, Nancy Dietz of Myrtle Beach, SC;
nine grandchildren, Eric and Alex Dietz, Orion, Cara, and Adam Coville,
Jared, Landon, Nathan, and Bradley Dietz; a brother and his wife Bill and
Nancy Snover; a sister-in-law, Barbara Johnson of Baldwinsville; sister-in-law, Nila Wilson of Canada several nieces; nephews, including Eric Snover; and cousins.
Calling hours are on Wednesday May 20, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Allanson-
Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home, 431 Main St., Phoenix, NY.
Services are on Thursday May 21 at 2 p.m. at the Phoenix United Methodist
Church, with the Rev. Susan Townsend officiating. Burial will follow in
Phoenix Rural Cemetery, 126 Chestnut St., Phoenix.
Contributions in Jill’s memory to: Phoenix United Methodist Church, 49
Jefferson St., Phoenix, NY 13135.
on Sunday May 17, 2015. She was born in Michigan on January 5, 1925. An
adorable baby, she was soon adopted by Otto Sherlitz and his fashionable
wife Margaret. Her best memories of her childhood were of playing with and
training the dogs her mother raised, which she counted as the beginning of
her teaching career, and of visits to her cousin in Fergus, Ontario.
Jill graduated from Wayne University in Michigan with a degree in art, and
later, earned a Master’s degree in education at SUNY Oswego. This was the
beginning of a teaching career spanning 30 years, initially as an art teacher,
and later as a classroom teacher. She took a personal interest in each of “her
kids”, sometimes expressing a wish that she could just bring some troubled
youngster home with her. Teaching was the joy of her life, and she will be
remembered by many who were her students.
When not teaching, she was traveling. Every vacation, or even a three day
weekend, she was off somewhere, on a camping trip, or traveling the world
by car, plane, train, or cruise ship, looking for adventure. One way or another
she visited every state in the union, and many countries in Europe, always
taking family or friends along with her, and snapping thousands of pictures
as she went.
Jill was a devout Christian, and very active member of Phoenix United
Methodist Church. She gave many sermons as a lay speaker there, and
painted a beautiful mural in the Narthex. She wore out her favorite Bible,
and was known for her warmth and generosity, her unfailing sense of humor
and her ready smile.
Jill was predeceased by her loving husband of 57 years, Kenneth M. Dietz, Jr.,
on June 27, 2013; her son Kenneth P. Dietz, on September 19, 1981;
her grandson, Joshua Dietz.
Surviving are her children, John C. Dietz of Charlotte, NC, Katherine R.
and her husband Bruce Coville of Syracuse, and David J. and his wife Lisa
Dietz of Phoenix, NY; a daughter-in-law, Nancy Dietz of Myrtle Beach, SC;
nine grandchildren, Eric and Alex Dietz, Orion, Cara, and Adam Coville,
Jared, Landon, Nathan, and Bradley Dietz; a brother and his wife Bill and
Nancy Snover; a sister-in-law, Barbara Johnson of Baldwinsville; sister-in-law, Nila Wilson of Canada several nieces; nephews, including Eric Snover; and cousins.
Calling hours are on Wednesday May 20, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Allanson-
Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home, 431 Main St., Phoenix, NY.
Services are on Thursday May 21 at 2 p.m. at the Phoenix United Methodist
Church, with the Rev. Susan Townsend officiating. Burial will follow in
Phoenix Rural Cemetery, 126 Chestnut St., Phoenix.
Contributions in Jill’s memory to: Phoenix United Methodist Church, 49
Jefferson St., Phoenix, NY 13135.