John Dietzen
John W. "Bill" Dietzen, 83 of Chattanooga, died on Tuesday, March 17, 2015.
He was born in Chattanooga, the son of Judge and Mrs. Walter N. Dietzen (Bess).
He graduated from Missionary Ridge Grammar School and McCallie School and received B.A. and J.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University, where he was president of SAE social fraternity, a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership fraternity, regimental commander of the Army ROTC unit, and Order of the Coif in law school. He subsequently served as an officer in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps, which included a tour in Germany.
He was admitted to the practice of law in Tennessee in 1955, and except for a two-year hiatus while serving in the U.S. Army, practiced law continuously since that time. His father, who was a prominent lawyer and judge, passed the Tennessee bar exam on the day that Bill was born. Bill served on numerous committees of the Chattanooga Bar Association and as a member of the Board of the Association. He was a former president of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Conference and served as chairman of the General Practice Section of the Tennessee Bar Association. During his term of service, the General Practice Section sponsored the first Annual Survey of Tennessee Law. He has been a member of the Chattanooga and American Bar Associations for nearly 60 years.
He has had the honor of practicing law with his father and brother, Richard and of being associated with seven different judges: Chief Justice Ray L. Brock of the Tennessee Supreme Court; Forrest Hudson, City Court Judge; Jesse Parks, City and General Sessions Judge; W.N. (Buck) Dietzen, General Sessions Judge; Chief Justice William M. Barker of the Tennessee Supreme Court; Tom Wright of the Circuit Court in Greeneville, and Chancellor Frank Brown. At the time of his death, he was a partner of Fielding H. Atchley, Jr. in the firm of Dietzen and Atchley, which also included Trevor Atchley.
He was a founding member of the Chattanooga Legal Aid Society, which led to the formation of Southeast Tennessee Legal Services. He was a past president of Chattanooga Christian Legal Society and served on the Tennessee Medical Malpractice Review Board. He was a founding member of the Ray L. Brock, Jr., and Robert E. Cooper Inn of Court, where he served as vice chairman. He was also a Fellow of the Chattanooga Bar Association and served a term as a Commissioner of the city of Ridgeside. He served 21 years on the Hamilton County Library Commission.
He was a long time member of the Chattanooga Civitan Club, which he served as president and as a chairman of the Chattanooga Civitan Club's Child Welfare Auxiliary. The Club honored him in 2011 with its prestigious T. C. Thompson Award for civic and club service. He was a past member of the Mountain City Club and for many years served as a ruling elder at First Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, RADM Walter N. Dietzen, Jr, USN and Richard Dietzen.
He is survived by his dear wife of 59 years, Wilma R. Dietzen, and children, CAPT John W. Dietzen, Jr, USN (Ginny) of Jacksonville, FL, and Beth Dietzen of Chattanooga; three grandchildren, Laura Dietzen, Jamie Greever and Megan Greever; sister, Carol D. Stein of Chattanooga; sister-in-law, Martha D. Dietzen; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 20, at the First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, at 554 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37402 with Reverend Robert Rowe officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga for the Foreign Missions or Home Missions funds, or Changed Lives, or you may perform an act of kindness for someone in his memory.
Visit www.heritage fh.com to share words of comfort and to view the memorial tribute.
The family will receive friends from 12-2 p.m. on Friday, March 20, at the First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, 554 McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37402.
Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Road.