George Dietz

BOARDMAN - There will be services at 9:45 a.m. Friday at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Home, Boardman-Canfield Chapel and at 10:30 a.m. at St. Dominic Church for George Henry Dietz, M.D., 77, who passed away Christmas day at Forum Health Northside Medical Center surrounded by his family, after
courageously fighting a short illness.
Dr. Dietz was born July 18, 1928 in New York, N.Y., the son of Henry Jacob and Lucy Dietz.
He graduated summa cum laude General Excellence Medal - First in Classfrom Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, N.Y. in 1946. He received a Bachelor of Science in 1950 from Manhattan College in New York, N.Y. on a
full academic scholarship, where he received the Biology Medal next in Merit and was inducted into the Epsilon Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity. He then received his Doctorate of Medicine in 1954 from State University of New York, College of Medicine, Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., also a full four-year academic scholarship, where he received the Mosby Scholarship Book Award for scholastic excellence and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society.
Dr. Dietz immediately completed his general surgery internship at The New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center in New York City, where he then also completed his two year residency in general surgery.
He completed his residency training in plastic surgery at the Bronx Veterans Administration in Bronx, N.Y. and at The New York Hospital, Cornell Medical
Center in 1961.
Dr. Dietz was commissioned as a Lt. jg. with the U.S. Naval Reserve, Medical Corps on Jan. 26, 1953. He served active duty with the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant from July 1, 1955 to June 30, 1957, during which time he crossed
the Atlantic Ocean 48 time on the U.S.N.S. General Simon B. Buckner. He received a Letter of Commendation, Commanding Officer and honorably discharged on Nov. 23, 1966 after serving inactive reserve since July 1, 1957.
On Feb. 7, 1959, he married the former Carolynn Irene Beard at St. Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Church in Manhattan. He moved from New York City in 1962 to Youngstown to enter private practice, where he limited his practice to plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Dietz was certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and retired from the full time practice on Feb. 28, 1993. He was recently honored by the Ohio State Medical Association for his 50-years in medicine.
He was very active with his professional affiliations. He was president of the Mahoning County Medical Society in 1978 and served as its secretary from
1972 to 1976. In 1985, he was also the president of the Ohio Valley Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and served as its vice-president, secretary and treasurer. He was elected to serve on the Board of Governors
for the International Society of Clinical Plastic Surgeons, where he also held offices of Treasurer and Membership Chairman. From 1978 through 1988, he served on the Board of Trustees for the Mahoning and Shenango Area Health Education Network.
His memberships in other professional organizations included the Ohio State Medical Association, American Medical Association, American College of
Surgeons, Herbert Conway Society, American Society of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgeons, Northeast Ohio Society of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgeons, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Canadian Society for Aesthetic Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and The Royal Society of Medicine in London, England.
Dr. Dietz accepted teaching appointments as an instructor in surgery at The New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center, and was an assistant professor of surgery at the Northeast Ohio Universities, College of Medicine from 1978 until he retired. He published a number of articles in medical journals, presented a variety of original papers nationally and internationally, and was invited to speak to national and international conferences during his medical career.
In 1992, Dr. Dietz received the Distinguished Physician Award from the Mahoning County Medical Society and in 1993, he received the Youngstown Y.W.C.A. Man of the Year for Outstanding Community Service.
He was also a member of various social organizations including the Ohio Historical Society, Friends of Old Sturbridge Village, The Chesterton Club, the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown Club, Youngstown Country Club, American Legion, Youngstown Maennerchor, and the Knights of Columbus where he was a Third Degree Knight of the St. Dominic Bishop Fenwick Council 13586 and a Fourth Degree Knight of the Bishop Malone Assembly 826. He was also a member of St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church.
He loved to travel with his wife, which included visits to every single state in the U.S., a trip around the world to celebrate their 25th anniversary, a multitude of countries on five continents and yearly trips to
his favorite city, London. He was a gourmet cook and avid reader.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Susan Dietz and Carrie Dietz, both of Columbus; five sons, George Dietz Jr. and Peter Dietz, both of Columbus, Dr. Andrew Betsy Dietz of Marlton, N.J., Atty. James DeniseDietz of Canfield, and Christopher Dietz of North Olmsted; and three
grandchildren, James Dietz Jr, Luke Dietz and Fiona Carolynn Dietz.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Atty. Robert Michael Dietz.
Friends may call today from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
This obituary may be viewed and condolences sent at www.higgins-reardon.com