Stefan J Dietrich, 72, of San Marino died peacefully in his sleep on May 22, 2017. Born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 23, 1944, Stef was one of four children of James and Thelma Dietrich. He moved from Pennsylvania to California with his family when he was 5 and grew up in Los Angeles, where he became an Eagle Scout. He went on to receive his BA from UC Santa Barbara, where he was a founding member of the Sigma Chi fraternity chapter, and his Masters from USC.
In 1969, he married Christine Mercer (now Dietrich) in Whittier, California. They had six children.
After a brief stint as security detail at the Hollywood Bowl for such acts as the Beatles, Stef started his career in finance with Price Waterhouse in 1970. He later worked for Universal Studios and Activision before spending 18 years with the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board as CFO, a job he held until his retirement in 2015.
He was a volunteer with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses for 25 years, and could be seen most New Years’ mornings donning a white suit and red tie along Orange Grove Blvd. He coached his kids’ sports teams, was Treasurer of the San Marino Boosters Club, and was a Board Member of the San Marino Schools Foundation. More recently he was an advisor to the San Marino City Council’s Ad Hoc Budget Committee and a member of the Board of Trustees of the San Marino Crowell Public Library.
Stef enjoyed spending time with family, fishing, and the beach, especially when all three were part of the same trip. Favorite vacation spots included Balboa Island, Yosemite, Mammoth, and Charleston.
He leaves behind his beloved wife Chris; his siblings Bretta Terzian, Suzanne Childress, and Craig Dietrich; his children and their spouses Alison (Nathan) Taylor, Jeff (Amy) Dietrich, Lindsay (Bruce) McGregor, and Tim (Claire) Dietrich; and his 10 grandchildren: Kate, Ava and Ben Taylor; Caroline, Thomas and Maddie Dietrich; Lucy, Nora and Russ McGregor; and Jack Dietrich, with his 11th grandchild expected in October. He was predeceased by his children Matt and Amanda.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on May 30, 2017 at Holy Family Catholic Church in South Pasadena.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Stef’s memory to the American Heart Association or the San Marino Crowell Public Library.
Arrangements are being handled by Cabot & Sons, Pasadena.
