Mary Lillian Garber Diehl

Mary Lillian Diehl, 94, a resident of 709 Stuart St., Harrisonburg, Va., joined her husband, Callie Diehl, in heaven on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, at Rockingham Memorial Hospital.

Mrs. Diehl was born in Augusta County, Va., on Feb. 4, 1917, and was the daughter of Andrew Martin Garber and Grace Arnesa (Saufley) Garber of New Hope, Va.

She started out, after graduating from New Hope High School, operating a beauty shop with her sister, Mabel, called Lilma in 1935.

She was united in marriage, Feb. 2, 1943, to Callie John Diehl.

Mrs. Diehl retired from teaching with the Rockingham County School System in 1958 with 25 years of service.

During the war, Mary kept house, did private beautician work in her home and began raising their first son, Lary.

She was a member of St. Stevens United Church of Christ.

Mrs. Diehl graduated from Madison College with a bachelor’s degree in teaching in 1958 and taught at Linville-Edom then Tenth Legion and the Plains Elementary Schools.

Along with her husband, Callie John Diehl, who predeceased her in January 2009, operated a coin laundry located on South Main in Harrisonburg for many years.

Surviving her are her two sons, Lary G. Diehl, wife, Carol, of Hampton, Va., and Gary M. Diehl of Sterling, Va.; five grandchildren, Andrew Diehl and wife, Carla, of Winston-Salem, N.C., Steven Diehl and wife, Alicia, of Goochland, Va., Patricia Winters and husband, Jason, of Annapolis, Md., Amy West and husband, Shawn, of Richmond, Va., Adam Diehl and wife, Nikisha, of Ashburn, Va.; and six great-grandchildren, Emma Callie Nicole Diehl, Jacob William Diehl, Colby Mitchell Winters, Lillian Elizabeth Diehl, Logan James Winters, Zachary John Diehl; her sister, Mable Young, and her brother, Gene Garber, survive her.

The Rev. Tresa F. Quarles will conduct a graveside service Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Weyers Cave, Va. A memorial service will be held later that evening at 7 p.m. at the Lantz Chapel at the Bridgewater Home in Bridgewater, Va.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at McMullen Funeral Home on Greenmount Road, Harrisonburg, Va. The casket will be closed.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bridgewater Health Care Foundation, 302 North Second St., Bridgewater, VA 22812 in memory of Mary and C.J. Diehl.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.mcmullenfh.com.