Joan Erna Diedrichsen

Joan Erna Erickson Diedrichsen, age 90 and a half, adored mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on January 22, 2025. The family takes comfort in knowing that Joan is now with her husband of 56 years, Howard Diedrichsen, who predeceased her in 2012, and is in the presence of God.

Joan was born on August 10, 1934 in Dodge County, Nebraska to John Victor Erickson and Erna Meta VonSeggren. She attended a one room school house close to the family’s farm for the first eight years of her education and graduated high school in West Point, Nebraska in 1952. She went on to the University of Nebraska where she earned her BS in Natural Science and, thanks to a snowstorm, met her husband Howard. 

Joan taught school in Nebraska before moving to Dumas in 1960. While raising her family, she was an active community volunteer who served as a 4-H leader for over twenty years, was a member of the Women’s Division of the Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Vocational Education Council. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church where she sat on the church council, was a member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and coordinated a non-denominational community bible study.

Joan was the Children’s Librarian at Kilgore Memorial Library for over 15 years where she delighted in sharing her love of great stories with the children of her community. 

She will be remembered as a trusted mentor and a loyal friend. Memories of her quick wit, intelligence, and generosity will be treasured by her friends and family for years to come. Joan is survived by her brother John Erickson, and her children John Diedrichsen and Amy (Howard) Bates. She was predeceased by her daughter Kimberly (Ken) Heard, and sister Eleanor Francke.

Joan was a devoted grandmother who was known as Peaches. God blessed her with grandchildren who she took great pride in seeing grow up to be talented people in their own right: Andrew Heard, Carly (Kevin) Lowry, Dylan Fernandez, Matthew (Sydney) Heard, Frances Fernandez, Johnathan Bates, and a granddaughter by choice, Kimberly Curtis. She also leaves behind a soon-to-be-born great grandson whom she was excited to meet.

The family would like to express special appreciation to the outstanding staff of the Moore County Hospital District and the Memorial Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

The funeral service will be at two o’clock on Monday, the 27th of January, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 207 South Meredith. Private burial will be in Northlawn Memorial Gardens. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors of Dumas, 500 N Maddox.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Joan may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church.