#Sylvia Ann Grim Dietz

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Sylvia Dietz was born in Janesville, Wisconsin in July 1931 to Ernest and Thelma Grim. Sylvia's brother, Lawrence Grim, a volunteer for the US Army, was killed in World War II and is buried in the Philippines. Sylvia had three sisters, Karen Biggerstaff, Doris Buehl and Betty Schumacher, all of whom predeceased her.  

Sylvia graduated from Janesville High School in 1950. She attended colleges in Minnesota and South Carolina, graduating from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, with a degree in Spanish and Bible Studies. Sylvia worked in Mexico teaching underprivileged children to read and write in Spanish.  

After returning to the United States, Sylvia married Forrest Clair Dietz in 1957 at the People's Church with Pastor Boyer officiating. Sylvia and Clair had a son, born in 1958, Jeff Dietz of Atlanta, Georgia. A second son, Randall Dietz, of South Beloit, was born in 1961. Forrest Clair Dietz, also a US Army veteran of World War II, died in 2020. Sylvia worked as a substitute teacher, a school librarian, and a public librarian in Beloit, Wisconsin, and at the South Beloit, Illinois public library. In 1980 Sylvia began working as a United States postal clerk at the South Beloit Post Office. Sylvia retired from the Post Office in 1998. Sylvia and Clair volunteered at the Fair Oaks Nursing home for 33 years, performing music, giving inspirational stories, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sylvia played the clarinet as well as the piano and organ. Sylvia's husband was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Magicians for decades and Sylvia assisted him including becoming a Master Clown expertly applying makeup, crafting clown outfits as well as making animals out of balloons, a favorite of children watching the magic shows. Sylvia and Clair attended the People's Church and Faith Baptist Church in Beloit and finally attended Heritage Baptist Church in Roscoe, Ilinois for nearly forty years. Sylvia was a gentle soul who enjoyed crosswords and puzzles as well as traditional Christian and classical music. She also enjoyed mystery novels and classic British mystery television programs including David Suchet's Poirot, Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes, John Thaw's Inspector Morse, Kevin Whatley's Inspector Lewis, and Endeavour.  

Sylvia is survived by her two sons, Jeff and Randy; granddaughter, Jessica of Nashville, Tennessee; as well as her brother-in-law, Russell Biggerstaff; and many nieces and nephews including Kathy Morton, Mike Biggerstaff, Angela Werele and George Buehl, and Bob Buehl.  

Funeral service will be at 11:00am with a visitation from 10:00am until the service on Thursday, December 29, 2022 in Heritage Baptist Church, 12848 Willowbrook Rd., Roscoe, IL. Burial in Floral Lawn Cemetery, South Beloit, IL.