Cheri Woodruff Dietzen
January 22, 1949 - October 19, 2023
Llano - October 19th, 2023 Cheri Woodruff Dietzen, 74, of Llano CA, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her family and friends with her nails done in her favorite cherry red. Cheri was born on January 22, 1949 to Zella and Donald Woodruff in Nebraska.
She is survived by her husband Todd Dietzen, daughters Trigg Bell and Sarahbell Kleinman, sisters Diana Rumuly, Jean Leker and Janice Woodruff, many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents Donald and Zella Woodruff and brother James woodruff.
No timeline will ever express the scope or reach of Cheri's presence in her career as a special education teacher. Cheri shared her love of teaching with her husband Todd Dietzen. They met at Central Washington University when she went back to school later in life to become a teacher and were married in 1996. Together their journey would take them from Washington to California and her tenacity, love and strength would build her legacy.
She was known among students, parents, colleagues and friends as a force and voice for the underdogs. She always went above and beyond to make sure that students and their families felt supported not just in the classroom but at home and in their community. She was also a great resource and mentor to many of her fellow colleagues.
Cheri also had a great love of all things football. She carried a lifelong connection to her home state and the Nebraska Corn Huskers. She cherished her trips back to watch her favorite team and many phone calls were made on game day to share in the delight.. While she did have room in her heart for the Seahawks nothing would compare to her beloved Huskers.
True to her values and beliefs Cheri also had a great love of all things Christmas and holiday gathering. This time of year many of her talents for baking, crafting and sewing shone bright. Whether she was baking a cookie, sewing a quilt or putting together a care package, she was always thinking of how she could brighten someone's day. She treasured her santa collection and shared her love by welcoming anyone into her home holiday after holiday. Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations were so filled with her love, friends of friends of friends were invited, and she took great joy in providing a place her community felt welcome.
In staying true to her spirit the family will be holding a celebration of life in the spring when all of the garden is in bloom. Her ashes will be taken to the Oregon coast, one of her favorite places on earth.