Donald (Don) W. Dieke, 84, passed away on January 4th, 2021 at his home in Naples, Florida with his wife of 62 years, Norrine (Nelson) and son David by his side.
Don was born on October 25th, 1936 in Falls City, Oregon where his family had relocated to find work in the midst of The Great Depression. He was the middle child of Doris (Donkin) and William H. Dieke. A few years later, they returned to their home state of Illinois to settle on a farm in Eola where Don grew up with his older sister and younger brother. His childhood was spent helping tend the farm and enjoying ample time outdoors hunting and fishing. He left Eola after high school to attend Western Illinois University.
He met his college sweetheart Norrine at WIU and they married in 1958 at the United Methodist Church in Macomb. Don graduated from WIU in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. For a time they lived in West Chicago where he was a high school Industrial Arts teacher, the driving instructor, and football coach. They relocated back to Macomb in the early 1960s. Don received his Master’s degree in Education from WIU in 1970.
He was the owner of McClure Quarry based in Tennessee, IL until the late 1980s. After selling the business, he pursued his real estate license and later became the Macomb City Township Assessor. He held this position until he retired in 2005. After retirement, Don split his time between Macomb and several locations in the southern U.S., most recently Naples, Florida where he has spent the winter for the past several years.
Don took pride in his community and service. He earned his Eagle Scout certificate in 1952; he joined the Navy Reserve in high school and served for eight years. He held seats on the McDonough County YMCA Board, the McDonough District Hospital Board (1973-1979), the Macomb Airport Authority (1980-1990), and the WIU Foundation (1985 – 2021). He was a member of the Macomb Elks Lodge 1009, a Century Member of the Prairie Council Boy Scouts of America, Trout Unlimited, and a past member of the Macomb Country Club and the Bears and Bulls Investment Club.
He had many loves including traveling, cruising and visiting new places with Norrine; carpentry, piloting his plane (he earned his pilot’s license in 1977), road-trips, golfing, and reading. But his true passion was fly fishing and he was one of the greatest. Don was a charter member of the Forgottonia Flyfisher and Flytier Fishing Club based in Macomb. He fished all over, but most loved the streams in his own backyard and stole away to them whenever he found the time; White River, Arkansas; Decorah and Manchester, Iowa; Viroqua, Wisconsin and Ten Thousand Islands, Florida. He kept journals about rivers and streams and fishing trips with endless tallies of gin-clear water, brookies, and hat-tricks.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Dorie Brox of Ontario, Canada. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Norrine and his three children Robin (Bruce) Hadsall of Macomb, David Dieke of Naples, FL and Annette (James) Butler of Austin, Texas. Papa will be fondly missed by his two granddaughters Chelsea Hadsall of Decatur, Illinois and Hailea
Hadsall of Macomb. He will also be missed by his brother Jim (Mary) Dieke of Erie, Colorado and his many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Avow Hospice of Naples via their website: https://avowcares.org/donate-now/ or by mail: Avow Hospice, Attn: Foundation, 1095 Whippoorwill Lane, Naples, FL 34105 or any hospice of your choice in thanks for the help and kindness they provide to people in need. Memorial donations to the WIU Foundation can be made by mail to 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455.
Other ways to celebrate Don: have a nice glass of scotch, read a good book, tie some flies, or spend an afternoon catching trout in a beautiful river.
Published on January 06, 2021
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