Frank Edward Deitrick

FRANK EDWARD DEITRICK Frank Edward Deitrick (88) died December 29, 2016 in Reseda, California. He was a dedicated and loving husband and father. He was born January 17, 1928 in North Hollywood, California to Beatrice Mae Holt and Harold Edward Deitrick. His childhood was tumultuous with little guidance and support. He endured 10 stepfathers, some okay; some not. As a baby, his mother would peddle home-made beer hidden under him in his stroller during the Prohibition era of the Great Depression. When Frank was in his 70s, via genealogy, he learned of his older half-sisters on his father’s side, Helen Marie (Deitrick) Shrode and Dolores Irene (Deitrick) Schutz. At that time, Helen let him know that his father wanted to be in his life, but was not permitted to visit. He was very happy to have met Helen and Dolores’ daughter, Kitty Geddes (his niece). He attended Downey High School in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California, yet graduated from Ashland High School in Oregon, Class of 1945 while in foster care. After graduation, he worked at the Bearcreek Orchards Company in Medford, Oregon before joining the U.S. Army in 1946. He served in Osaka, Japan as a supply sergeant at the Osaka Mint and received a WWII Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. The Japanese culture deeply influenced him the rest of his life as could be seen by anyone who walked into his home. Upon returning to the United States in 1949 he moved to North Hollywood, California and worked in construction with concrete. He met and married Sandra Agnes Wheeler in 1953. His father-in-law, Stanley Arthur Wheeler, got Frank a job where he went to work as a union printer at the Daily Racing Form in Los Angeles. He retired from the Racing Form in 1993. He was predeceased by his mother, his father, his uncle and good friend, Paul Holt, his younger siblings on his mother’s side: half-sister, Dixie Lee and half-brother, Rudy Lee, and his older siblings on his father’s side: half-sisters Helen and Dolores. He was survived by his loving wife who recently died March 27, 2022. He is also survived by his two sons, Christopher James Deitrick and his wife Jacqueline of Florida, and Ward Wesley Deitrick and his wife Kristen of Spokane Washington, 5 granddaughters, 1 grandson, 7 great granddaughters and 1 great grandson. Frank and Sandy loved to spend time in their camper, on the Southern California beaches and mostly at Emma K. Woods state campground in Ventura, California. Now that Frank and Sandy have both passed, their ashes will be intermixed and spread in the Pacific Ocean in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest in two private memorials. Those who wish to remember Frank in a special way may make gifts in his memory to: Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 8th Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001 by check or online at https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/.