Phil Dietrich dies at 98

Obituary

Noted area writer Dietrich dies at 98

By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Philip j. Dietrich, a former Beacon journal sports writer, died Monday of natural causes at Sunrise Assisted Living in Cuyahoga Falls. He was 98.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Hazel DeMarus Dietrich; his son, George A. Dietrich, of Medina; and grand-children Philip R. Dietrich, of Columbus, and Dr. Sarah T. Brodhead, of Denver.

Dietrich, a graduate of South High and the University of Akron, began his journalism career as the editor of the Akron school newspaper in the late 1920s. He later earned a scholarship to Northwestern University and earned a master's degree from the Medill School of journalism in 1931.
Dietrich began his full-time career as a sports writer with the Akron Times-Press in 1931. He then worked at the Beacon journal from 1938 until 1969, reporting on the University of Akron and Kent State beats, and the outdoors, among other subjects.

When Dietrich announced his retirement, then-Beacon Journal. sports editor Jim Schlemmer wrote a 35-inch column about him.

Among the most pointed comments, Schlemmer wrote that, "Phil Dietrich is the best writer the Beacon journal has had since the late Herman Fetzer, whose writings, mostly under the pseudonym of Jake Falstaff in the 1920s, were masterpieces."

Schlemmer continued: "Phil has written in depth ... with compassion, sympathy, tenderness, accuracy, dignity and grace."

Dietrich returned to the Beacon journal in the 1970s on a part-time basis, writing an outdoor sports column.

He also wrote several sports books, mainly dealing with historical teams and figures from the Akron area.

A memorial service for Die-trich will be held at 1 p.m. Fri-day at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Akron.

Memorials can be made to, the Hospice of Northeast Ohio or the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame.

[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH , Wednesday, September 7, 2005, page C3, col. 4 ]

The classified obit:

Phillip J. Dietrich

Philip J. Dietrich, 98, passed away peacefully on Sept. 5, 2005, at Sunrise Assisted Living of Cuyahoga Falls, where he received kind and loving care from the staff of Sunrise, and many months of careful assistance from Hospice and Palliative Care Partners of Ohio.

Mr. Dietrich was born in Akron, Ohio, on March 1, 1907. He was a graduate of Akron South High School and the University of Akron, and received a graduate degree from the Northwestern University School of Journal-ism, after which he became a reporter for the Akron Times Press, later joining the Akron Beacon Journal where he served as a sports writer, outdoor editor, and sports editor during a career which spanned over 40 years. He was a founder of the Surhmit County Sports Hall of Fame, which each year awards the Philip Dietrich Senior Athlete Award in his honor.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Hazel DeMarus Dietrich; his son, George A. Dietrich of Medina, Ohio; and grandchildren, Philip R. Dietrich of Columbus, Ohio, and Dr. Sarah T. Brodhead of Denver, Colo.

A memorial service will be held in his honor at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio, at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2005. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care Partners of Ohio, 2500 E. 22nd St., Cleveland, Ohio 44115, or the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame, Box 2744, Ak-ron, Ohio 44309.

Hummel (330-253-6126) www.hummelfuneralhomes.com

Please sign the guest b ook at www.ohio.com/obituaries

[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH. Wednesday, September 7, 2005, page B5, col. 6 ]