Dorothy M. Diekman

     Dorothy Mae (Dusek) Diekman, 89 of Lewistown passed peacefully at home surrounded by her 3 daughters of natural causes.  She was born February 5, 1931 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lewistown one of four (4) children to Anthony T. and Mary (Schanilec) Dusek.  She lived her entire life in Lewistown. Her grandfather Vaclav Dusek and his 3 brothers came to Montana from Bohemia in 1903, being the first to enter the Judith Basin in an emigrant car on the Jawbone railroad. He, many times helped others get started on their new life in this area as well.   So, her roots in Central Montana were deep and strong.  She graduated in 1949 from St. Leo's High School and soon after that became one of the last telephone operators for Mountain Bell before they went to dial.  She loved to dance and met the love of her life, Clint Diekman, on the dance floor at the Bar 19. Together they could jitterbug and swing dance like no one else. They were married on October 26 1957 at St. Leo's Church in Lewistown and were together 56 years before his passing in 2013.  Dorothy and Clint raised 4 children, Kathy, Jan, Steve and Lori at the" big white house on Elm St."  Dorothy was a typical 60's mom - always home for the kids - 4 under the age of 6 didn't allow for much else. As everyone got into school, she then worked outside home as a secretary for Hines Motor Supply and later for the school lunch program, coordinated funeral lunches and served as an election judge for many years. She also sang in the church choir for a number of years.

     She skied in the winter with her family and nearly every weekend in the summers were spent camping at Crystal Lake.  Occasionally everyone packed into the station wagon for a cross country road trip. Mom was the happiest being a mom, grandma and aunt.  Her family was everything to her and were her greatest source of pride.  She loved big.. and was loved big.  She will be greatly missed. 

     She is survived by her children Kathleen (Jeff) Koelzer, Jan Diekman (Mark Carmichael), Steve (Barb) Diekman all of Bozeman, MT and Lori (Ed) Burnham of Lewistown; sister Marge (George) Arnold of Arizona, brother-in-law Duane (Liz) Diekman of Lewistown and her sister-in-law Pat (Diekman) Gee of Utah; grandchildren Josh (Aga) Apple, Steve Apple of Bozeman, Jake Koelzer of Portland OR. Jenna (Bridger) Nelson of Bozeman, Elise Burnham of Lewistown, Zach Diekman and Caleb Diekman of Bozeman; great grandchildren Soren and Max Apple, Caden, Quentin, Noah, Lyla Nelson of Bozeman and Nevaeh Burnham of Lewistown; numerous nieces and nephews. 

     She was preceded in death by her husband Clint, her parents Anthony and Mary Dusek, her sister Mary Kathleen and her brother Duke.

     Graveside Memorial Services for Dorothy (Dusek) Diekman will be Saturday, August 15^th, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. in Mount Calvary Cemetery.  The Cloyd Funeral Home is assisting the family.

     Friends are asked to make memorials to the charity of their choice and they may be left with the Cloyd Funeral Home.  Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.cloydfuneralhome.com.