Linda Dietrick, of Pueblo West, Colorado, passed away Tuesday, February 5, 2019. Born February 13, 1948, in Thornwood, she was a daughter of the late Anna Mae and Clinton Elza. She spent her childhood in Durbin, along with her sisters Jean and Carole, and brothers Larry and Tom. After graduation from high school, she moved to Washington, D.C., and worked for a time at the Department of the Navy. It was in Washington, D.C., that she went to a party with some friends and saw this guitar player in the corner. That guitar player was based in D.C. after returning from Vietnam. They started dating, and just five quick months later, Linda and Bill Dietrick were married on August 31, 1968. Soon after, the couple moved across country, back to Colorado where Bill was from. They lived in Pueblo, Colorado, while Bill was finishing college, and then moved to various places in the west while Bill was a claims adjuster working various regions. In 1973, they welcomed their daughter, Shannon, and settled in Thornton, Colorado, where they lived for the next 30 years – most of that time in the same neighborhood. They made lifelong friends with the neighbors, and enjoyed many camping trips, barbecues, and trips to the Caribbean with these close-knit friends. During this time, Linda worked as the legal secretary for the Adams County District Attorney. She stayed there 25 years before retiring. Once she and Bill had retired, they moved back to southern Colorado, to a new town called Pueblo West. They’ve lived there since, making great new friends, and enjoying the milder winters. Just before their move to Pueblo West, Shannon married Mike Hansen, and Linda finally had the kid that she could tease constantly. Linda and Mike had a great relationship, ribbing each other all the time, and always doing the dishes together after holiday dinners. He was her “favorite son-in-law.” Shannon and Mike then welcomed their son, Declan. Declan was the apple of Linda’s eye, and she doted on him like crazy. There wasn’t anything her “little Bubba” could do wrong, and in the last months of her life she always lit up when she saw him walk into the room. They were great pals, whether taking trips together to Orlando, or just lying on the bed together while Declan explained his latest video game. Linda was a funny, spunky woman, always ready for a laugh, but also someone you couldn’t wait to tell about your day. She will be missed beyond measure by her family and friends. Memorial service was held February 17 at Horan & McConaty in Centennial, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, donations in Linda’s name may be made to PAWS for Life, P.O. Box 11208, Pueblo, CO 81001.
