Leah Paulette Dietrich's Obituary
Leah Paulette Dietrich was born on September 17th 1943 in Ogden Utah. She was the second of three children of Geneva and Leo Barnes. Leah was known as Paulette for most of her childhood and into her adult life. She moved to San Diego at the age of nine, and later attended Helix High School. In high school, she was active in the pom pom corps and was part of the homecoming court.Paulette always had a great love for music. After graduating from high school, she worked for a San Diego music company. In 1964, she met Daniel L. Dietrich whom she married on March 21, 1965. Leah and Dan stayed a short stint in Wyndotte, Michigan, and then moved back to San Diego where they lived out the remainder of their lives. Most important to Paulette was her family. Together, Paulette and Dan had three girls: Michele, Katie, and Jacquie. Paulette spent the majority of her time caring for and serving her family. She tirelessly devoted herself to creating a special and caring home life for her husband, children and grandchildren.Paulette worked as a bookkeeper for a retirement home for several years. She also served as a librarian where she enjoyed reading books to children and making the stories come alive. Her work with children continued as a school district office assistant where she helped with middle school children with special needs. Paulette was a woman of faith. She felt she was doing God’s work at Montgomery Middle School and enjoyed that time in her life.Paulette enjoyed nature and traveling with her husband to beautiful places. She was just as happy spending time in her home in Jamul, CA. She lived there for over 40 years. One of her true callings was raising children. Her grandchildren were the “apple of her eye.” Paulette has six grandchildren: Tyler, Daniel, Amanda, Jacob, Madelynne, and Lillian. She loved spending time with them and watching each of them grow. She always made it a point to make “Grammy time” memorable, and supported each grandchild at their special events. Another passion of Paulette’s was cooking and baking. One could often find her listening to music while singing and baking a pie or cookies for her family. One of her favorite activities was having tea with her daughters and granddaughters, and she was a collector of fine English teacups and china. Paulette believed in presenting her best self to others. She always kept her home, makeup, and hair immaculate. She was a quick witted and happy spirit. Paulette was a woman of great strength, full of love and devotion, and had a beauty that radiated from the inside. She will be greatly missed.
What’s your fondest memory of Leah?
What’s a lesson you learned from Leah?
Share a story where Leah's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Leah you’ll never forget.
How did Leah make you smile?