David Clarence

Diehl

Obituary for David Clarence Diehl

David Clarence Diehl was born in Boone, Iowa on September 2, 1930, and lived with his parents, an older sister and younger brother. Dave lost his father to a farming accident at age ten and had to take on many of the responsibilities of the man of the house at an early age. Growing up, he was active in his church and with the 4-H Club. At Boone High School he was junior class president, advertising manager of the school paper, a member of the National Honor Society, selected to attend Boys State and the yearbook named him “most likely to succeed.” This was also a time when he became interested in the pigeons that roosted in his neighbor’s barn. His mother allowed him to tame them and keep them in the hen house.

After one year at Boone Junior College, followed by a fall quarter at Iowa State University (ISU), he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1951. He spent most of the next four years on the east coast with two summers in the Mediterranean on Goodwill Tours. He attended Naval Justice School and that became his major assignment aboard ship.

He first saw Gertrude (Trudy) Kappes walking across the floor of the USO Club where she volunteered in New York City and he immediately asked her to dance. But Dave was a practical man, so he finished his tour of duty in the Navy and returned to ISU and graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science in 1957. While there he was president of FarmHouse Fraternity and selected to Alpha Zeta Agricultural Honorary. He was also a member of Iowa State’s 1956 National Champion Collegiate Livestock Judging Team. Despite his full college schedule, Dave continued his courtship with that cute girl he danced with at the USO.

Dave married Trudy the week he graduated from ISU in the presence of his immediate family in Independence, Iowa on June 8, 1957. After a reception in Boone given by his mother, they drove cross-country, including a honeymoon stop at Niagara Falls, then on to New York City. They had their second wedding reception in New York, this time hosted by Trudy’s mother.

Thus started the life together of the Iowa farm boy and the beauty from NYC. During those working years Dave and Trudy raised three children. Steven was born in Newton, Iowa and now lives in Concord, California with wife Becky. Ken was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and now lives in San Antonio, Texas. Linda was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts and now lives in Dallas with husband Paul Kruger. Dave had successful careers with the Holstein-Friesian Association of America, the Animal Health group within the Agricultural Division of Shell Chemical Company and ended his working career in public relations within DuPont’s Crop Chemicals. Over their 50 happy years of marriage, Dave and Trudy lived in 8 different states, eventually ending up in Dallas. Dave’s love of all animals spilled into the lives of his children and the house was always filled with pets – fur, feather, or scales of many kinds.

But it was while living in California in the 70’s that pigeons reentered Dave’s life as a hobby (some say obsession) and he chose to begin breeding the Indian Fantail Pigeon, a particular fancy breed of pigeon. He liked them, he said, because they looked like miniature turkeys with a huge tail. Dave went on to win the National Championships, and he became a well-known breeder, judge and contributor to the History of Indian Fantails. He also served as the President of the Indian Fantail Club of America. He was a true advocate of the breed, helping new breeders and even shipping his pigeons to the Middle East and Great Britain to breeder friends. Dave continued this hobby while living in California, Texas and Pennsylvania, finally giving away the last of his birds when they moved back to Texas in the early 2000s.

After raising their three children, Dave and Trudy started cruising the high seas, which quickly became a top-vacation priority for the two of them, as they both loved to travel. They also enjoyed working in their yard and cultivating flower gardens wherever they lived. After being widowed in 2008, Dave spent his remaining years volunteering at many and various organizations where he lived, including: local hospitals, reading to elementary children, visiting hospitalized/homebound church members/friends and with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. One of his favorite volunteer activities was working with Mosaic, a non-profit social ministry of the ELCA that helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He assisted Mosaic residents with delivering VNA’s Meals on Wheels.

Dave died on All Saints Day, November 1, 2026. He was preceded in death by his wife, Trudy, father and mother, Clarence and Lovera (Rosene), sister Barbara Waychoff, brother Donald and by several cousins, brothers-in-law, aunts and uncles. Dave is survived by his three children and their spouses (Steve & Becky, Ken and Linda & Paul), eight grandchildren (Michael, Nichole, Christopher, Emily, Newt, Steven, Katie and Tyler) and 11 great-grandchildren!

When asked how he would like to be remembered, Dave said, “I enjoy being an active Christian and serving others.”

“I’m on the final roundup. Don’t feel sad for me, for I’ve had a wonderful life. All the people and creatures have been my friends and have given me much joy. The pleasure of life is all around…all you have to do is look. Thank God for a wonderful world.” – Joe Pellettieri

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, December 4, 2026 at

Providence Presbyterian Church at 10727 Midway Road, Dallas, Texas 75229.

Time of service TBA.

In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made in memory of Dave Diehl to:

Mosaic at www.mosaicinfo.org/donate-today. 

Checks can be mailed to Mosaic, 4980 S. 118th St., Omaha, NE 68137-2200

VNA Meals on Wheels at www.VNATexas.org

Heifer International at www.heifer.org