Dr. Bobbie Morrow Dietrich

Dr. Bobbie Marie Morrow Dietrich, 82, of Brenham, wife of Dr. Wilfred O. Dietrich, died Sunday, December 6, 2009 at Trinity Medical Center in Brenham.

Dr. Bobbie was born July 14, 1927 in Peeltown, Kaufman County, Texas. Later the family moved to Kaufman where she attended the First Baptist Church. She graduated from Kaufman High School in 1944; Bachelor of Arts from Howard Payne University in 1948; in 1963, received her Master of Arts degree in Speech and Drama from The University of Texas, and in 1978, earned her Doctor of Education from Texas A&M University Commerce. On August 23, 1969, she married Dr. Wilfred O. Dietrich in the First Baptist Church of Kaufman.

Forty years of her life were devoted to teaching. Eleven of these years were spent teaching for the American School System—Mannheim, Germany; Frankfurt, Germany; Hakata, Japan; Clark AFB, Philippines; Ankara, Turkey; London, Princess Gate; Wheelus AFB, Tripoli, Libya; Chateauroux, France; Preswick, Scotland; Peshawar, Pakistan; and Soesterberg, Netherlands. She also taught for the University of Maryland in Pakistan and Soesterberg and in Sweetwater, Fort Worth, and Richardson. The last 25 years were spent at Blinn College where she was director of Speech Communications and Theatre.

Dr. Bobbie was very active in the Daughters of the American Revolution where she served as regent in 1983-1984 and 1997-1999; served as President of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1989-1991, 2001-2003, and 2003-2005; and the President of Fortnightly in 2002-2004.

Dr. Dietrich has published several books and published articles in professional magazines. Her greatest writing project is when the Daughters American Revolution published her article entitled “Claude Phillipe de Richebourge: A Sense of Noblesse Oblidge.”

Dr. Bobbie was very active in the First Baptist Church in Brenham where she taught Christian Education from 1969 to 2008 by working with high school students and finally the Joy Class. Also, she and others from the First Baptist Church in Kaufman worked with Bible School in small churches across South Texas.

She was one of the organizers of the Brenham Heritage Museum and supported her husband in getting exhibits, volunteering, and helping in every respect.

Her greatest place of volunteering was the George Bush Presidential Library where she earned 3500+ hours. She attended nearly all of the special functions, special programs, and attended the opening of the Library in 1997.

Survivors include her loving husband Dr. Wilfred O. Dietrich for over forty years; one sister Joyce Keller of Austin; brother Gary Morrow and wife Carol of Tennessee; sister-in-law Nita Morrow; sister-in-law Nevi Lauter of Brenham; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Raymond and Virginia Dietrich of Houston; many nieces and many, many friends. As she was teaching with the American School System, Toni Turner, whom she had in Turkey is working with the Texas Historical Commission. She also leaves behind many, many students whom she dearly loved in her drama and speech classes.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at The First Baptist Church in Brenham, with Pastor Glen Schoeneberg and Rev. Patricia Dietrich officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends Wednesday, December 9 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Brenham Memorial Chapel. Burial will be private for the family at a later date.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Jim Bruseth, Dr. Don Voelter, Dr. Bobby Marek, Dr. Gary Appelt, Dr. Henry Boehm, Jr., Dr. William Wiley, Dr. Scott Williams, and all of her students during the 40 years of teaching.

The family requests that memorials be given to Dr. Bobbie Morrow Dietrich Endowed Speech Scholarship, The University of Texas at Austin, and mail to Attention: Richard Graw, College of Communications, University of Texas at Austin, One University Station – A900, Austin, TX 78712.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham, TX. 979.836.3611 www.brenham-memorial-chapel.com