Mildred I Diehl, age 99, of rural Lanark, Illinois passed away Saturday, January 11, 2020 at Allure Nursing Center, Mt. Carroll, Illinois. A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the First Brethren Church of Lanark with burial in the Lanark Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service 10:00 – 11:00 a,m Saturday at the Church. Memorials may be made for The First Brethren Church, FHN Hospice., or Allure Nursing Center. Online condolences may be left for the family at
www.lawjonesfuneralhome.com
Mildred was born August 16, 1920 in Rock Creek Township, rural Lanark, the daughter of Milton and Lottie (Diehl) Traum. She grew up on a family farm, one of six children and attended country school, then graduated from the Lanark High School. On October 5, 1946, Mildred married Bernard L. Diehl in Lanark. They raised two sons and celebrated fifty-eight years of marriage until Bernard’s passing in 2004.
In early years, Mildred worked at George Rogers Clark Insurance in Rockford before returning to Lanark to marry Bernard. Like many farming wives, Mildred made life on the farm happen. Her family could always count on being well taken-care-of, as Mildred was a great cook and well-known for her potato salad at family events. She worked alongside Bernard, often driving the tractor, helping to plow the fields. Mildred and Bernie appreciated the simple things in life and handed-down the values of honesty and hard-work. She always loved Sundays when everyone was wearing their best and attending Church together.
In later years, Mildred and Bernie traveled to many places, visiting Hawaii, New Zealand, Paris and Alaska. They retired in 1982 and lived in the country near Lanark. Mildred would often drive to town and participated in many community events up to age of ninety, when she moved into the nursing center in Mt. Carroll. Mildred was a life-long member of the First Brethren Church of Lanark. She always rooted for the Cubs and Bulls and never missed Lawrence Welk. Mildred had fond memories of dancing with Bernard wherever they could find a good band, and playing Euchre and Dominos with family and friends.
Mildred will be dearly missed by her two sons, Ronald (JoBeth) Diehl of Effingham, Illinois and Duane (Kathy) Diehl of Lanark; five grandchildren, Matt (Nicole) Diehl, Heidi (Jeff) Ruettiger, Andrea (Eric) Ihnen, Tally (Nathan) Hollin and Trenton (Chelsea) Diehl; thirteen great-grandchildren; and a sister, Betty Alice Peugh of Morrison. Mildred is preceded in death by two brothers, Randall and Melvin Traum; and two sisters, Thelma Frederick and Belva Buss.