Leonard D. "Len" Diethert

Len Diethert's journey through life began with an unforgettable entrance. At thirteen pounds, he was the largest baby born at that hospital, a fitting arrival for a gentle giant with a personality every bit as big.

After serving in the United States Army, Len drove a bus for Stillwater Taxi and went on to spend forty years as a forklift operator at Anderson Windows. He later delivered prescriptions for Snyder Drug Store and worked for Anderson Heating.

After retirement, Len and his bride of 64 years, Karen, followed the road into vacations and spur of the moment adventures. Karen was his traveling companion and a worthy match for his stubborn spirit. Len had his own ideas, of course, but nearly every request from Karen was eventually met with a playful, "Yes, Your Highness."

Len never had children of his own, but no one who saw him with his nieces and nephews would have guessed it. He loved them with a father's patience and grandfather's tenderness and sense of fun. His time and attention left them with something lasting: the certainty that they mattered to him. They knew how blessed they were to have their Uncle Lenny, and they loved him just as deeply in return.

He would appear at the most unexpected times, completely out of the blue. Just Len, stopping by with a story, an opinion, or a little good-natured bullshit. His face had a language of its own, and one perfectly timed expression could say more than a whole conversation, sarcasm included.

When a head injury from a fall quickly declined his health, Len's fiercely stubborn spirit never wavered. No longer able to make his familiar daily rounds, the people he had spent a lifetime visiting began finding their way to his bedside. Family gathered, friends stopped by, and his McDonald's coffee crew showed up throughout his final journey. The kindness that marked his everyday life surrounded him.

On October 14, 2026, with his wife beside him, Len took his final breath at Lakeview Hospital in MN. He knew Jesus and he was ready to be called Home.

Len is survived by his wife, Karen Diethert (Prescott); sisters, Sally Sletten (Phil) and Barbara Benedict (David); mother-in-law, Lucille Prescott; nieces and nephews, Rachel, Richie, Randy, Kristin, Michael, Trina, Leah, Brian, Mike, Christopher, Darci, Joseph, Angela, and Tami; extended family; and the many friends he gathered along the way.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gladys (Thompson) and Clarence Diethert; brother, George; father in law, Victor Prescott; nieces, Denise and Zaylee; and nephews, Keith "Bug" and Collin.

His route here is finished, but the path he leaves behind is lined with his unmistakable wit, his quiet wisdom, and a lifetime of ordinary moments he made unforgettable.

Visitation 3-6pm Sunday, October 18th at Salem Lutheran Church 14940 62nd St N, Stillwater. Funeral Service 2pm Monday, October 19th at Salem Lutheran Church, with visitation beginning one hour prior.