Marlene Beck Dietz

Marlene Beck Dietz, 89, of Muncy, passed into the loving arms of the Lord Monday, December 9, 2024 while surrounded by family at the Gatehouse, Williamsport.

Born November 9, 1935 in Williamsport, she was a daughter of the late Charles A. and Anna M. (Kohler) Herrick. She married her high school sweetheart, J. Ronald Beck, Jr. and together they celebrated 32 years of marriage before his death in 1986. In 1990, she married George Richard “Dick” Dietz. Together they celebrated 29 years of marriage before his death in April 2018.

Marlene was a 1953 graduate of Williamsport High School and attended Bloomsburg State College. Following her true calling as a mother, she spent her days raising and caring for her family. As her family grew, she took the title of “Mom-Mom”. She will be remembered for gift of hospitality, hosting delicious family meals. Always her family’s most enthusiastic supporter, she attended any event featuring a loved one from concerts to a wide variety of sporting events. She possessed the innate ability to make you feel special, heard and most important to her, supremely loved. In her final years, she accepted the changes in her life with insurmountable grace and sweetness.

Marlene was a gifted musician and used her considerable talent as a private piano teacher, soloist and church choir member. She enjoyed singing with the West Branch Chorale, touring and performing throughout Europe. She was a member of Muncy Baptist Church, where she served as a deaconess. Marlene was a member of the Muncy Woman’s Club and a longtime volunteer in the gift shop at the former Muncy Valley Hospital.

Surviving are four children, Christine (David) Meckbach, Cheryl (Joseph) Girio, Jennifer (Donald) Reese and J. Ronald Beck, III; ten grandchildren, Benjamin Meckbach, Daniel Meckbach, Rachel Knipe, Carolyn Meckbach, Erin Girio-Herrera, Lauren Pearce, Andrew Girio, Derek Reese, Kiel Reese and Beau Beck; and 19 great-grandchildren, Hudson, Finley, Evelynn and Roman Meckbach, Colton, Gabriel and Benjamin Knipe, Elias and Luca Girio-Herrera, Garrett and Samuel Pearce, Rose, Nora and Will Girio, Hannah, Rebecca, Wade, John and Anne Reese. The family would like to thank Marty Houseknecht for his special friendship with Marlene.

In addition to her parents and two husbands, she was predeceased by a brother, Donald Herrick.

Friends will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, December 16, at the Muncy Baptist Church, 11 W. Penn St., Muncy, where the funeral will be held at 11 a.m. with her pastor, Rev. Robert Rice, officiating.

Burial will be held privately at the convenience of the family in Balls Mills Cemetery.

The family will provide the flowers and suggests contributions in Marlene’s name be made to either the Muncy Baptist Church, or to Susquehanna Health Foundation, c/o The Gatehouse, 1001 Grampian Blvd., Williamsport, PA 17701.