Diller, Lester E. (1912-1971)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Jul 29 p. 2

Birth date: 1912 Aug 27

text of obituary:

Well-Known Orrville Industrialist Dies

Orrville, Ohio. — Funeral services for Lester Diller, 58, co-owner of the Orrville Tile Company, were held July 11 at the Salem Mennonite Church, Kidron, with Rev. Ben Rahn officiating.

Mr. Diller, well-known civic leader and industrialist here, died at Dunlap Hospital on July 8, six weeks after suffering a heart attack at his home.

A native of Bluffton, Ohio, Mr. Diller was a son of the late Amos Diller who purchased the tile manufacturing plant here in 1928. Lester Diller worked in the plant from his youth on, and in 1946 he and his brother Ray purchased the business from their father. He was secretary-treasurer of the firm at the time of death.

Mr. Diller was a member of the spiritual council of the Salem Church, member of the Bluffton College board of trustees, a charter member of the Wayne General Hospital board of trustees, and member of the Eastern Ohio Drain Tile Assn.

Surviving in the immediate family are his widow, the former Rose Marie Amstutz, and two daughters, Ann, a medical student at Ohio State University, and Mary, at home.

---

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Aug 12 p. 11

text of obituary:

LESTER E. DILLER

Lester E. Diller was born Aug. 27, 1912, at Bluffton, Ohio, to Amos and Lena (Schumacher) Diller. He attended the Pandora schools until completing his first year of high school. He was baptized and joined the St. John Mennonite Church.

He moved to Orrville, Ohio with his parents in 1928. Following graduation from Orrville High School he completed an accountant course of International Accountants Society. He worked for his father at the Orrville Tile Company until 1946, when he and his brother Ray purchased the business where he served as secretary-treasurer until his death.

On June 18, 1944, Lester married Rose Marie Amstutz at the Salem Mennonite Church of Kidron, Ohio. They became the parents of two daughters, Ann, a senior medical student at Ohio State University, and Mary, a senior at Central Christian High School.

Surviving him besides his widow and daughters are three brothers, Orlo of Chatsworth, Ill., Edison of Pandora, and Ray of Orrville,; two sisters, Mrs. Edna Badertscher and Jennie Diller, both of Orrville; and nephews and nieces. His parents and one sister, Mrs. Bessie Tschlegg, preceded him in death.

Lester was a member of the Spiritual Council of the Salem Church, a member of the Board of Trustees of Bluffton College, a member of Eastern Ohio Drain Tile Association, a corporation member of Central Christian High School, and a charter member of Wayne General Hospital Board of Trustees.

One of Lester's favorite hobbies was tape recording of music programs and church services. He had recorded most of the Orrville Community Chorus renditions of the Messiah since 1963, some of which were broadcast over Wooster WWST.

In his early twenties he suffered a severe case of rheumatic fever which left him with an impaired heart. In 1963 he had open heart surgery and enjoyed relatively good health for the next few years. He died at Dunlap Hospital in Orrville on July 8, 1971, following a heart attack that day in his home.

Lester's faith in God was manifested in his concern for the church and its mission, for others, and in his trust and optimism during many periods of ill health.

Memorial services were held at the Salem Church of Sunday, July 11, with Pastor Ben Rahn officiating.

The Mennonite obituary: 1971 Aug 3 p. 480