With her family by her side, Julie Diedrich (nee Kovac) was peacefully lifted by the arms of the angels and taken home to our Lord at the age of 71 years on Friday, Dec. 17, 2010.

Julie will be deeply missed and is survived by her best friend and loving husband of 47 years, Dean "Sam" Diedrich; sons, William "Bill" Diedrich, Mark Diedrich; stepson, the Rev. Timothy (Ann) Diedrich; stepdaughter, Roxanne Olson; grandchildren, Brett and Courtney Diedrich; step-grandchildren, Nicole (Brian) Siekert, Angela (fiance Jonathan) Buckley, Alexander Goodreau; and step-great-granddaughters Bella and Grace Siekert. She is further survived by her 98-year-old mother, Lou Kovac of Eau Claire; sisters-in-law, Betty (the late Bill) Rossman, Shirley (Carmen) Cirillo, Gerry (the late Sig) Lunde; brothers-in-law, Dick (the late Pat) Schaeffer, William "Billy" (Carol) Diedrich; 20 nieces and nephews; many cousins in Eau Claire and Milwaukee; and many friends. Julie was preceded in death by her father, William Kovac, and her sister-in-law Ginny (the late Waddy) Watterson.

Julie graduated from Eau Claire Senior High School on June 1, 1956, and worked in medical records for five years at Midelfort Clinic in Eau Claire. She also worked at Columbia Hospital, Waukesha Memorial Hospital, and for 23 years at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital as a medical transcriptionist. She married Dean Diedrich on September 12, 1964, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Waukesha.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of the noon service Wednesday, Dec. 22, at Church and Chapel Funeral Home, 380 Bluemound Road (highwyas J and JJ, four blocks south of Interstate 94), Waukesha. Interment to follow at Prairie Home Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the ALS Association, Wisconsin Chapter at Froedtert Hospital would be appreciated.

Church and Chapel, Rudolph-Larsen Bros., 549-0659, is serving the family. For obits, condolences, directions or a memorial tribute slide show, visit the Web at www.churchandchapel.com.