Owner of concrete firm expanded family's operations
1/16/2005WAUSEON- A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Crossroads Evangelical Church here for Harold "Oky" Dielman, a former co-owner of Dielman Inc., a ready-mix concrete company. He died at 81 of complications from lung cancer in his home Dec. 26.
Born in Delta, Ohio, Mr. Dielman attended area public schools and graduated from Napoleon High School.
He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served as an instructor pilot during World War II.
After the war, Mr. Dielman attended Tri-State University in Angola, Ind., graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering.
"He was a quiet but very hard-working man," his son, Terry Dielman said
With his engineering degree in hand, Mr. Dielman returned to Ohio and went to work for his father, running the family construction company, Dielman Supplies in Napoleon.
"My father enjoyed construction because he loved building tangible things," his son said.
He later inherited the family business and went into business with his brother Glenn "Buck" Dielman.
Together they expanded the construction firm, which they renamed Dielman Inc., opening branches in Archbold, Perrysburg, Swanton, Wauseon, and West Unity, Ohio.
An active member of concrete industry organizations at the local and state levels, he also was a member of the board of directors of Ohio Citizens Bank. He was a member of the Wauseon Elks, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wauseon American Legion Post, and Congregational United Church of Christ.
His son said that he enjoyed golfing, fishing, and spending time at his cabin in Indian River, Mich.
Mr. Dielman married his first wife, Carolyn Boyer, in Aug. 27 1942. She died in 1989. He married Sue Kear Kotterman that same year.
Surviving are his wife, Sue; daughter, Deborah Birnie; sons, Terry and Marc, and six grandchildren.
The family suggests tributes to the Hospice of Williams and Fulton Counties.