MADISON – Jeanette A. Diederich, age 87, passed away peacefully in her sleep at Heartland Country Village in Black Earth, on Saturday, March 14, 2015.

She was born on June 11, 1927, to Otto and Ida (Erbacher) Ruehle in Milwaukee. Jeanette attended Pulaski High School in Milwaukee, as well as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She enjoyed singing in various choirs, as well as solo performances (especially the much requested tune “Sleepy Lagoon”) and music continued to be an important part of her life.

Jeanette met her husband, Donald J., at Wisconsin Telephone Company, where they were both employed, and were married on Oct. 28, 1950. They started their family in Milwaukee before moving to Madison in 1963. She was a homemaker who took great pride in her family, as well as her garden, her needlework, and volunteered in multiple organizations, including the Girl Scouts, Reserve Officers Association Ladies (ROAL), and the Republican Party. Many family vacations were taken in the trusty station wagon with Don at the helm and Jeanette as first-mate. Trips were taken to Wyoming, the Canadian Rockies, California, Florida and the East coast to visit family and many of America’s historical sites, as patriotism was very important to mom and dad. Family was extremely important to her, as was celebrating the holidays – especially Christmas when she would gather her family around her.

Jeanette is survived by her children, Bill Diederich, and daughter, Linda (Jim) Sebree; granddaughters, Erica Sebree of Austin, Texas, and Lisa (Nick) Williams of Effingham, Ill.; and a great-grandchild on the way, whom Jeanette was eagerly anticipating. She is further survived by her brother, Guenther (Marie) Ruehle of Brookfield, Wis., as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; and her husband, Don on Dec. 6, 2007.

The family would like to thank Dr. Wood, Dr. Koltz, and the staff of St. Mary’s Hospital and Heartland Country Village for the compassionate care given to our mother. Memorials may be made to the family or a charity of the donor’s choice.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015, at OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE, 401 S. Owen Drive, off Mineral Point Road, Madison, at 11 a.m. with visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com

Jeanette Diederich

June 11, 1927 - March 14, 2015

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