Ilene P. Dietrich

Ilene Dietrich of Goleta passed away on the Fourth of July to her ultimate freedom in Heaven. Ilene is now free from pain and disease and free of being trapped in a mind that lost her most precious memories. She is free and in the arms of her Savior at the age of 72, after a long battle with dementia.

Ilene Phyllis Dietrich was born on August 11, 1948, in Seattle, Washington to Phyllis and Conrad Crowe. Ilene spent her childhood years in Washington State before moving to Santa Clara, CA where she attended Wilcox High School. Ilene then moved to Santa Barbara, CA to attend UCSB. While attending college, Ilene met her future husband Thomas Dietrich, and the two were married for 47 years prior to Tom’s passing from cancer in 2016. Though Tom and Ilene moved out of state for a time in their newlywed days, they eventually moved back to Santa Barbara where they settled permanently and raised their three daughters.

Ilene was a beloved teacher in the Goleta Union School District where she taught Kindergarten at Kellogg School for the majority of her career. There was nothing Ilene loved more than shaping little minds and giving them a solid start to their educational journey. In addition to her role as a teacher, Ilene was an integral part of her Good Shepherd Lutheran Church family and was also a devoted and loving wife, mother, and grammy.

Ilene is survived by her younger brothers John and Raymond Crowe, her three daughters Wendy, Alysha, and Brenda, and 9 grandchildren, Jackson, Hollyn, Katelyn, Kaylin, Gordon, Owen, Mayah, Hannah and Selah.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, August 3rd at 10 am at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Goleta.