Alma M. Dieckman

Alma M. Dieckman, nee Stoffel, 92, of Belleville and formerly of Memphis and St.
Louis passed away at St. Paul's Home in Belleville on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. Born near Tupelo, Oklahoma on Nov. 20, 1916, Alma was raised in Mascoutah, IL.


Alma was named Tennessee Secretary of the Year in 1976 and retired two years later
from American Can Company. She spent her years in retirement volunteering for a
number of organizations and pursuing two of her life's passions - traveling and
painting. During her travels she took thousands of snapshots, many of which she
used as references for her artwork. She was a member of the Gateway East Artist
Guild and the Prairie Porcelain Artist Guild, as well as affiliated national
organizations. Her artwork won her acclaim locally, and several of her miniature
pieces were juried into international exhibitions.


She married Charles F. Dieckman on Mar. 29, 1952; and they made their home in Dittmer, MO. Charles preceded her in death on Mar. 29, 1967. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, Hugo T. Stoffel and Mary K. (Wieder) Stoffel; a brother, Julius (Cathrine) Stoffel; two sisters, Paula (Claude) Martin and Anita (Ralph) Stelzleni; and a nephew Jay (Elizabeth) Stoffel.


Alma is survived by a sister, Laurine (Kenneth) Funk, nieces and nephews, numerous
great-nieces and -nephews as well as great-great-nieces and -nephews.


Memorials may be made in the form of donations to one of the organizations for which Alma volunteered, Schmidt Art Gallery, Southwestern Illinois College, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville, IL 62221.


Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009 in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, 6300 Old Highway 30, Cedar Hill, MO.