1937 – 2014
AUBURN — William F. “Bill” Diehl, 76, of Mechanic Falls, passed away at the Hospice House on Wednesday, Jan. 22, after a three-year battle with lung cancer.
He was born the son of George and Ruth (Pease) Diehl on Feb. 23, 1937. He lived in Lewiston for all of his young life and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1955. Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy and served as an electrician, touring through the Mediterranean Sea during the Lebanon Crisis. He received an honorable discharge in July 1959.
After holding a few jobs, he started work at Pioneer Plastics in Auburn in 1964, and retired as inventory control manager on April 1, 1999. On Sept. 20, 1974, he married Gloria Emery at the Mechanic Falls Congregational Church.
After moving to Mechanic Falls, he got into town affairs, serving 20 years on the Town Council, retiring as chairman. Before that, it was nine years on the Planning Board. While on the council, he also served on the library committee and AVCOG, and he helped organize community block grants and other committees. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 73 AF & AM, a lifetime member of the VFW on Minot Avenue in Auburn and American Legion Post No. 150 in Mechanic Falls.
Bill was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved hunting and fishing with his dear friend, Lyndal Hewey, of Maine and Massachusetts.
He leaves behind his wife, Gloria, of Mechanic Falls and four stepchildren: Valerie Hamlin of Rockport; Peter Hamlin and his wife, Lori, of Riverview, Fla.; Kevin Hamlin and his wife, Stacy, and grandson, Kevin II, all of Tucson, Ariz.; and Heidi and her husband, Joel Johnson, and granddaughter, Amanda Lynne, of Middleton, Wis. He also leaves two sisters, Nancy Diehl Scott of Barrington, R.I., and Margie Diehl Tilly of Brunswick; and many nieces and nephews.
Many thanks go to Dr. Bosma and staff of Mechanic Falls, Dr. Rausch and staff at Central Maine Medical Center and Dr. Austin and staff at the Androscoggin Hospice House.
Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.chandlerfunerals.com.
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- William F. Diehl
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