John Harry Diehl

John Harry Diehl, affectionately known as “Pappy” to his loved ones, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family at Upper Chesapeake Hospital on June 1, 2025, at the age of 83. Born in Owings Mills, Maryland, John was the son of the late William Diehl and Elizabeth Edna Wilhelm Diehl.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Elizabeth A Bose Diehl; his daughter Sherri Holmes, son Norman Diehl and wife Dyna; and his grandchildren Matthew Pritt and his wife Rachel, Ashley Vaughan and her husband Jim, Timothy Holmes, and Scott Holmes. He was a proud great-grandfather to Jason, Brooke, Alishia, Mila, and Lee. John is also survived by his sister, Evelyn Barwick, and brother, Larry Diehl.

John honorably served in the United States Army in the Vietnam War. He then worked as a welder at Wiley Manufacturing, a shipyard in Port Deposit, MD. He helped build the Fort McHenry Tunnel and talked of when they floated it down to Baltimore. John later retired from a dedicated career as a plumber at Harford County Public Schools.

John’s life was rich and full. He had a passion for gardening and took great joy in growing and canning a variety of vegetables. His garden was always meticulously kept. It was planted as soon as the weather would allow. Potatoes were always first…March 17th. Pappy was always so excited for his first tomato. He would be pleased if he got one by the 4th of July. There was even a competition among family members of who could get the first tomato.

He knew how much it rained with every rainfall. He even liked the snow too. He’d be excited for a blizzard. He maintained a pool for his children, horses, chickens, you name it. John even built his own house for his family! He could truly do it all.

John was a lover of animals. He dedicatedly fed the birds, and even the squirrels. Most importantly, he cherished his cats. Pappy was not always a "cat man" but he had a change of heart at some point and never turned back! He would go hungry before he let his cats go hungry. He would even bring treats for your cats if you had some!

John had a wonderful sense of humor and always had a funny come back. His nickname in the Army was “Smiley.”

He was the king of the Irish goodbye. You’d wonder where Pappy was at a party and see him peeling out of the driveway. Although we were not ready, we are thankful he let us say good-bye this time.

As we celebrate John’s life, we are reminded of the mark he has left on our hearts. His legacy will continue to grow on in the spirit of the lives he has touched and inspire us to be “the best” like Pappy.