Our dear mother Joyce Dietrich sadly passed away on Dec. 12, 2022, at the age of 93. Joyce led an amazing life. Born in Buda, Illinois on Sept. 28, 1929, to Richard and Gladys Carper, Joyce follows her two sister, Jackie and Jean, and her brother Richard. She is survived by her four children, Cathy Barker, Carol Gradillas, William Dietrich, and Daniel Dietrich. Joyce also leaves seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Joyce touched innumerable lives. Her faith was a major force in her life. She was a devout Christian, playing the church organ at the 1st Presbyterian church in Westport, Washington for many years as well as teaching children’s Sunday school. She had an unshakable faith in the goodness of others and lived by a pioneer’s creed of self reliance.

Demonstrating early her adventurous spirit, after graduating from nursing school in Illinois, she volunteered for missionary hospital work in what was then the pre-statehood territory of Alaska. While living in Cordova, Alaska, she met her husband Gilbert Dietrich, a commercial fisherman. Together they built a home in the small fishing village of Westport, Washington where they raised their four children.

She served as a registered nurse for more than 35 years, mostly at St. Joseph and Community hospitals in Aberdeen, Washington and later in her life provided hospice care for friends, family and anyone in need.

Joyce loved the outdoors. She belonged to a local hiking club, the Olympians, and hiked throughout the Olympic Mountains and many other trails in the Pacific Northwest. She rafted many rivers including the Colorado through the Grand Canyon, the Tatshenshini in the wilds of British Columbia, Deschutes and many others. She practiced a lifelong commitment to the environment and volunteered her time to nature conservancy.

She always had an amazing tale to share and demonstrated by her actions a life well lived. A memorial for Joyce will be held in Westport, Washington sometime in the spring at a time and place to be named later.