1954-2017

Riley 1972 Robert Allan Deitel

Condolences

Deitel, Robert "Bob" Allan, after 44 months of living on borrowed time thanks to an organ donor, Bob Deitel and his transplanted lungs died in his home on Thursday, April 6, 2017, surrounded by his wonderful family. He was 62.

Bob was born in South Bend, Indiana, to Max and Clara Deitel. Clara was a first generation child of Russian and Ukrainian immigrants who had fled 1890s anti-Jewish pogroms. Max, born in Hungary, escaped to the USA in 1949 after enduring forced slavery and atrocities by the Nazis, Hungarians, Rumanians and Russians. The rest of Max's immediate family was systematically exterminated in the Holocaust.

Indiana proved to be much better. Max found work as a grill cook and then as a regional salesman for a restaurant supply company. Clara left her secretarial job at the electric company after the birth of Bob's only sibling, Jeanne. Bob was born 2 ½ years later on Oct. 17, 1954.

After schooling at South Bend's Lincoln Elementary/Junior High and Riley High School, Bob began his trek south by attending Indiana University Bloomington, where he double-majored in Journalism and Political Science. He majored in Journalism because he took several interesting courses and soon found himself closest to a Journalism degree.

When graduation came in 1977 and he needed a job, Bob looked throughout the region and found nothing; but he did get interviews around Louisville. After one interview at the New Albany Tribune, while Bob was waiting for a friend to pick him up, he sat near the sidewalk and saw a man attempt to buy a newspaper from a nearby rack. When the man dropped a nickel, Bob picked it up, handed it to the man and began chatting. The man was interested in Bob's ties to South Bend because he was a big Notre Dame fan. He asked why Bob was in New Albany. When Bob said he was looking for a newspaper job, the man said he worked at the Indiana Bureau of The Louisville Times and his boss was seeking part-time help. Bingo! (Bob didn't disclose that Louisville's two big newspapers previously wouldn't even grant him an interview.)

Bob moved to Louisville the next week and worked for 22 years, 3 months and 7 days reporting for the great old Louisville Times and later the once-great Courier-Journal. After the Gannett Corporation bought the newspapers and eventually dismantled Bob's promised retirement plan, Bob started looking onward.

No matter what happened in his journalism life, Bob found joy in his personal life. In December 1987, at a party in Indianapolis, he met his forever sweetie, Diane Rose, originally from Connecticut. Bob was supposed to be fixed up with another woman but met Diane at the door and they spent the night talking. Eleven days later, on New Year's Eve, they became engaged.

Then things happened quickly. Within 4 months they had bought a house and gotten married. A year later, Joshua D. Deitel was born. His sister, Alexandra N. Deitel, arrived 2 years and 4 days later. Josh works in advertising in New York City, and Allie teaches elementary school in Seattle.

Bob's wonderful sister, Jeanne Livne, has lived in Israel since 1975 and has 3 children, Gilad, Maya and Shira, and 8 grandchildren, all living in Israel. Bob has two sisters-in-law, Amy Immerman (Alan) of Cincinnati and Robin Rose (Carl Sturgeon) now living in Brussels, Belgium. Robin's two daughters, Rebecca and Rachel, both live in New York City. Carl's son Ryan lives in Columbus, Ohio. Bob was a proud uncle to all the young folks.

Bob's beloved wife, Diane, is a long-time professional specializing in Early Childhood Education. Diane's educational contacts brought Bob a second career -- as a school Technology Director, first at St. Francis School in Goshen for 10 years and then at Summit Academy in Middletown for 6 years.

It was the surprise discovery of an incurable lung disease in 2013 that changed Bob's life once again. Never had he smoked and for many years he had jogged, hiked and exercised daily. Darn. A generous organ donor provided him with an extended life for which his whole family is grateful. Bob would like to encourage you to enjoy every breath and sign your organ donor card.

Bob and his family would like to thank his wonderful neighbors and friends, and also his medical support team, especially: Dawn Marie Wilson, J. Wesley McConnell, Sonia Compton and Ashish Maskey.

Funeral services will be 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 7, 2017 at Herman Meyer & Son, Inc., 1338 Ellison Avenue, with burial to follow in The Temple Cemetery. Visitation will begin after 10:30 a.m. Memorial donations can be made to the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), The Temple, or the Frazier Rehab Institute Pulmonary Gym Renovation Fund.

Bob's friends and family love and will miss him.

Published in The Courier-Journal on Apr. 7, 2017

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