Robert Carroll Diestler's Obituary
Born January 3, 1932 died at home of natural causes May 12, 2023. He is survived by brothers, Edwin Elgin and John Milton, by son Robert S. "Rob" Diestler, daughters Peggy Rose Webster and Sheila Marie Batiste, numerous grandkids, nieces and nephews.He was preceeded in death by sister Gayle Ondra and parents Edwin & Billie Diestler. He loved playing pickleball & paddling Dragon Boats for his Tacoma Dragon boats Club. He had everyone cracking up, when they were assigning roles for dragon boats. There seemed to be an abundance of PEOPLE with the name "Bob"... Being a problem solver all his life he jumped in and said - "Just Call me Zorbo because there are too damn many Bob's." Behind the serious 1st sergeant persona lived a very complicated man. Loyal to a fault, loving to exclusion and lived with integrity til the end ... that was Robert C. Diestler. Diestler, at 91 years old, lived long past his expected life span of his own imagining. He often quipped, "If I'd known I'd live so long, I'd of taken better care of myself." Married twice in his life, siring a son and a daughter, survived a bullet, jumping out of airplanes, and raising his daughter and Step daughter after his 2nd wife died of suicide, only the final unknown reaches of the vascular dementia stopped his curious nature. His sense of humor NEVER waned. He philosophy was very simple. "Life is for the living." He retired from military & national guard service at the age of 47 years old, when his doctor forced him into a medical retirement. It was shortly after that that his wife, Peggy died.
In a final writing to his daughters before dementia set in -
"Dear Rosie and Sheila, No matter what I've done or said I've always loved each of you. Your Dad
Be happy & enjoy life. I did MOST of the time. "
Services will be held at Mountain View Memorial Park,1pm in the Garden chapel Saturday, June 3, 2023. Grave side services at 2:30pm.
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