Esther Diehl

Esther June Diehl, of Greensburg, born July 2, 1925, passed away January 14, 2021.

If you know our family, you knew this woman. And you know she was so incredibly special. She left us this week. I wanted to keep her forever, and in some ways I will because she left us with so much to hang onto.

My grandmother was the strongest woman I have ever known. Even when her body was frail and she was unable to walk, she wanted her granddaughters to sit on her lap. Even when she was laying in a bed at a nursing home, she put her arms around us and squeezed so tight. She endured more than I can imagine in her life, but she never swayed in her strength. She lost her husband too soon, she fought breast cancer, she lost her daughter too soon, and she squeezed every last breath out of life that she possibly could...quite literally.

She loved greater than I can explain. She endlessly cared for me and my sisters. She always answered our phone calls. She unconditionally accepted each of us, no matter what we did or said. She deeply wanted the best for each of us, and she would do all she could to help us get there. She waited for each of us to be with her before she died.

Esther June Diehl was the greatest part of my family. To say she will be missed is an understatement. To say our family feels smaller is an understatement, but there is no one who has left us with more strength, love, courage, wisdom, patience, and goodness. And we will never let that go.

Esther lives on in my heart, her youngest granddaughter, Megan Byerly, along with her other granddaughters, Jennifer Hoffman Fox, Melissa Stewart, and Lindsey Stewart McCall, as well as her great-grandchildren, Kailey Fox, Abby and April Mertz, and Rowan and June Byerly. Esther is also survived and forever cherished by her beloved son, Glenn Diehl, as well as her son-in-law, Gary Stewart. She also left behind her step-family, Fern Long and Mary Anne Thomas, her dear “grandsons,” Sean Fox, Dan Mertz, Chris McCall, and Tim Byerly, and her nieces and nephews of sister Emilie Throm.

When she died, she joined her husband, Glen Diehl, along with her daughter, Suzanne Stewart. She also reunited with her mother, Estella (Parks) Hall, her sister, Emilie Throm, and her step-daughter, June Douglas.

During her life, she was the proud owner of Diehl Moving and Storage in Jeannette, PA. She loved her work and she thrived talking with people every day. She left a memorable impression on most people she met. She will never be forgotten.

Due to the circumstances in life right now, we are planning a wonderful memorial for her this summer, instead of an immediate, traditional, public funeral. We hope everyone who has stories to share will be there. We'll share those memorial details when we have them.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the KEPPLE-GRAFT FUNERAL HOME, INC. Greensburg.  To share an online condolence, please visit www.kepplegraft.com