This is coming very, very late. I'm so sorry to hear of Dr. Dietzs passing. He was a man and a doctor like no other, and very literally the reason I am walking. Rest in peace, doc. Thanks for everything

I and all the world of his orthopedic friends will miss

Fred,s humour and vitality

May his family and friends be “ Consoled by all the

Mourners of Zion”

Very sad to hear this. It was always nice seeing Fred around the courts. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

My daughter came to be a patient of doctor Dietz at the age of 10. We loved him tremendously as he loved her. He always listened to me and treated my daughter with love and respect. She had 5 surgeries over the years and we even tried some out of the box things that worked out well for her. He listened to my concerns and due to his caring so much for his patients. My daughter is still walking today because of his care and willingness to listen. When my daughter broke her femur and was transported to Iowa city arriving at 2:00 in the morning I saw him by 8 and she was taken back for surgery by 9. He came in on Sunday was not the one on call and did her surgery.

Much love to his family. He was a wonderful man doctor and friend to us.my sympathy to all of you and hugs from both of us.

I am an anesthesiologist who had opportunity to work with Dr. Dietz in the operating rooms. Children can be frightened in this situation, so Dr. Dietz would sing the Raffi song "Baby Beluga" to them as they went off to sleep. A role model physician, and a truely great person.

So sorry to hear of your illness and passing. I didn't know you well, but always

appreciated you at the University. You were a great support to me and my patients. Best wishes to your family.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends as we go through these difficult times. Dr. Dietz was an incredible person, orthopedic surgeon and physician mentor. His legacy will live on through the people he touched and the many physicians he mentored. I am lucky to have him as a mentor during my five years in Iowa City.

Fred has been my good friend for nearly 60 years. It was great to spend a day together in April and catch up as we often did.

To all the family, your tears reflect my grief but the memories of my times with my friend brighten my heart.

Fred Dietz truly got a lot out of life. His contributions to medicine and patients combine with the positive impact he had with so many.

He was a man who gave more than he received.

Fred was a very good man who I loved and I continue to cherish his friendship.

John Kiewit

I worked as a medical social worker in orthopedics at UIHC for 20 years. A major part of my job was placing patients in other facilities. Fred always wanted to make sure I had a room reserved for him in a nice nursing home. I assured him I did at Shady Oaks in Lake City! Even after i left ortho and moved to PICU, he would remind me about Shady Oaks. He was a great human being. His light has gone out way too soon.

Our sincere sympathy to Dr. Dietz's Family and Friends. Dr. Fred Dietz was the first doctor we met in April 1999 when we brought our 6 week old son Joshua from Las Vegas to the U of Iowa Clinic to see if the Ponseti method might be possible for us. We were nervous and he helped us feel welcome and at ease. Dr. Dietz and Dr. Ponseti put on his first and then subsequent casts in later visits. We will be forever grateful for his kind efforts in helping our son and many many others.

I had the honor to meet Fred in 2007 when I came to Iowa City from Germany to learn how to treat clubfeet. His way of getting in touch with patients and treating children was outstanding, his free-spirited way was loved by patients, parents, students and colleagues. I especially remember an evening at his house with barbecue in the backyard and his visit to Hamburg 2 years later.

All my thoughts are with his family, he will be missed a lot!

My deepest sympathy to Dr Dietz’s family. I had the pleasure to meet Fred in 1995 at the U of Iowa Dept of Orthopedics and I fondly remember Fred’s visit to Thailand. I am grateful for the privilege to have had Fred as a friend and colleague. I have made a donation to the Lustgarten foundation for pancreatic cancer research in memory of Dr. Dietz.

I'm so sorry to hear this sad news. I knew Fred from the hospital jazz band and thought of him as a friend and an outstanding, positive individual. What a pleasure it was to know him. He clearly made a positive mark on the world.

Thoughts are with you all in this time. Dr Dietz was awesome. He cared for my son 13 years ago and I’m forever grateful we had the pleasure of knowing him and getting his care.

Earl Fred is Free

By Dilruba Jahan

From Bangladesh

Pushing Through the Darkness

The Golden Caravan Arrived

The Wings Were Shivering

To See The Angel’s Face

Laughing, Waving To Win The Race

Like The Guiding Star

Removing All The Pain and Blister

Started a Journey To Heaven

Where All Spirits Are Gracefully Forgiven

Suddenly Started Glittery Shower

Fred is There With All His Power

Papa Embraced The Boy

Whom He Left With A Loving Toy

Then Golden Bees Throwing Pearls

Fred is Looking Like an Earl

See, The Green Bird is Singing On A Tree

Engaged For The Message-“Earl Fred Is Free”.

Thank you, Fred, for all that I have learned from you! Rest in peace.

My son Tristan was a patient of Dr. Dietz until his retirement. We always enjoyed our appointments with him. He was always so patient and kind and made you feel like you were the only patient he was seeing that day. We were so sad when he retired, and are heartbroken now for his family and friends.

So sorry to hear this. Great doctor, friend, family man and all around good person. He will be missed by many.

I'm so sorry to hear about Fred's death. I knew him a little from the hospital - as a recovery room nurse we don't see staff physicians often but he was always kind and professional when i encountered him. I knew him more from tennis - USTA league mixed doubles. I'm so sorry for your loss. what a great guy.

I had the privilege of serving with Fred at The hospital as a consulting physician. I was always glad to learn that he was the ortho staff for any consult we requested. I knew we had his full attention and care for our mutual patients. And as others have said the kids loved him. He never was irritated by a consultant and I even recall a mild scolding as he would have preferred to be called earlier. We had waited until morning instead of late in the evening. A personal, amusing anecdote- a Thanksgiving morning several years ago we passed each other in the passageway between General hospital and Carver. I had been having some food pain and asked him for a recommendation of a good podiatrist. He said let me see your foot. I said here? He said sure. His diagnosis: my shoes were too small after having 2 kids. He recommended I replace all my shoes with ones a half size bigger! As a shoe horse, I loved this.

I am so sad at his passing. He was a great person and physician. My sympathies to his family.

I knew Fred through tennis, and mostly while sitting with him during Andrew's tennis matches. Fred was always fun to talk with. I was totally surprised to find out Fred was from Zorgopt! He might have been a neighbor of mine had I known this earlier. My condolences to his family and especially to Andrew. Fred obviously lived a wonderful life, had a wonderful family, and it's unfortunate that he left this world as early as he did.

We are all saddened by the loss of Fred. He was a kind and caring doctor who had a deep concern for his patients. Many, many children scattered over numerous areas of the world are living better lives because of Fred.

He did indeed make a difference.

Fred related so well to everyone. He was a great faculty member in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Iowa. I was most fortunate to have him on the faculty during the time that I was Chairman of the Department.

Mary and I extend our deepest sympathy to Meg and all of the family.

May God bless them.

Reg Cooper

Meg, We were so sorry to hear about Fred. You have our sincere sympathy. I have lost two half-siblings to pancreatic cancer, so I can imagine how hard this has been. Please know that you and all the family are in our prayers. We miss having you in the neighborhood!

I knew Dr. Dietz through the Ortho Clinic as his patient. He followed me for my having had polio and my scoliosis. No one understood polio more than him. Having grown up around doctors from a very young age in the 1960's, I had a great fear of them. He would bring in with him all of the residents and medical students into the little cubicle, but he always came to my level and showed deep respect for me. He had a way of talking that made my anxiety go away. He gave me a voice and listened.

I liked him as a person and loved him as a physician. I was so shocked yesterday to learn he is gone. Thank you so much for all the care you have given me. So sorry to his family and friends.

Dear Freddy,

It truly saddens me to hear of you leaving this earth. I'm not sure if it's because you are such an amazing human and brought such joy to so many people or because we are the same age and I face my own mortality.

It troubles me that I waited almost 60 years to write you a letter, but I believe you will still get the message.

As children, living on Moreley Ave.and being your next door neighbor we played softball together, which I wasn't very good at. "Kick the can" was also a favorite as well. Sure we had our fights and you always seemed to come out on top, But that's life.

We also endured a lot of pain along the way, early in life. You, with the loss of your Dad and brother and myself, as well with the loss of my Mom.

But that's life.

Someday I will see you again, my friend and who knows, maybe we will be neighbors again.

Your Childhood friend,

Jerry

Though I did not know Fred personally, I am so very sorry for your loss, Meg. Please know I am holding you and your family in my thoughts. I know there are many there to support you-lean on them and hold close your memories of this wonderful man.

Fred,

I am so saddened to learn of your passing...such a brave and humble exit for someone SO admired by any and ALL who knew you. I learned from you as a resident...I respected you and your skills as a surgeon...I loved you as a person...I was thankful for your friendship. I was always so impressed with your passion that would so naturally, so consistently, so predictably come out during conferences as you would fiercely defend the "patient's best interest" on whatever issue was being discussed. We ALL noticed this....and because of that, you made us ALL better doctors, better surgeons, better people! As a 5th year resident, I was so honored by your friendship...sincerely. As we prepared for our transition on to our next phase in life, you became close to us....you reassured us in our choices....you shed the role of mentor, and made us FEEL as friends. What a phenomenal gift of humanity that was!!! I remember gathering in Coralville "late-night" to enter the Iowa River to go innertubing (a 3-beer event)...cigars--a MUST (to keep sight of one another, and to ward off the black flies)...an experience that availed great conversation and secured a bond of friendship and respect-for-life!! Though my residency training tangented your LIFE for only 5 years, you have influenced MY life forever. Thank you Fred, you will NEVER be forgotten!!!!

Randy

Our deepest sympathies to your family. We were blessed by having Dr. Dietz as our son's club foot doctor 18 years ago. From age 6-days our son has known and enjoyed visiting Dr. Dietz throughout the years. He was a huge comfort to us as new parents struggling to understand the treatment and healing process, and we knew we were all in good hands. He was another wonderful example of the difference one person can make in many lives - he definitely impacted ours!

Fred was a neighbor and a friend to our family when we moved to Highland Park Avenue. His passion for tennis was unmatched - Todd enjoyed the challenge of playing Fred. We admired Fred and Meg’s love for life. I pray his humor and caring soul lives on in his family. We are so sorry for your loss. We will pour a Manhattan tonight and toast to Fred ❤️

I had one encounter with Dr. Dietz and it has always stayed with me. Our daughter had surgery and ended up needing a blood transfusion. Dr. Dietz checked in on her as her doctor was out that day. He said, "Gonna fill 'er up?" It was the light moment I needed. Thank you.

I will remember him forever as one of the most beautiful persons I have ever met in the world. What a blessing was it that he became our neighbor several years ago!

From the first time I saw him, it was clear that he is an unusual and unforgettable man - the warmth of his personality seemed to radiate from every part of his body and expression: such an open and warm face with ready smile, mild and friendly voice and every pronouncement with such wisdom delivered without any

pretense, and his willingness to help a bumbling neighbor, who would do some silly and dangerous things beyond his ability. In short, every time I met him, he was such a caring and comforting big brother to me.

We will miss you. But our memory of you will enrich our lives while on this earth.

Our condolences to Meg, his beautiful wife, and his other surviving family members. Please remember that he left such a warmth and grace to many others as well.

Jae and Sukie

My very deepest sympathy to all of Fred's family and friends. I had the honor and pleasure of working with Fred on the new medical curriculum which was developed several years ago. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing. I always enjoyed my interactions with Fred as well as his great sense of humor. Those of us who are passionate about medical education have lost a great friend.

Respectfully, Tom Schmidt

It's impossible to relate how sorry the world and we are for your loss Meg and family. What a great guy and he had so much life in him! He will live through you which is not a great solace but his spirit can not be extinguished! With our love,

Steve and Leora Houghton

I met Dr. Dietz when I was 8 years old and scared to death that I had to be in a big hospital in Iowa City. It didn't take long though for Dr. Dietz to ease a lot of the worry and make me feel like everything would be okay.

At a learning hospital it seemed like every visit, every night's stay brought a slew of new residents, students, and doctors. I was okay with letting them learn through me because Dr. Dietz was always there for reassurance. 20 years later I've never met a doctor that made me more comfortable, showed me he cared about me more, and flat out knew his stuff, more than Dr. Dietz.

Thank you Dr. Dietz, you were awesome, and you will be missed.

What a great story of his life. I smiled and shed a tear. I met him as a resident but worked with him as a radiographer in Ortho. He always had some silly toy in his pocket. Favorite memory...him holding down a screaming child I was x-raying singing “Baby Beluga”. I will have my first Manhattan tonight.

Alex, so very sorry for your loss. Fond memories of being on the sidelines with your dad and also working in the Murray lab with you. Keep those good memories close to your heart. My thoughts are with you and your family.

I didn’t know any of Fred’s current family so I am a nobody to you, but I knew Fred in high school and he was a wonderful guy; smart and kind and funny, to name just a few of his traits. I am so sorry to hear of his leaving the world and those who loved him.

i had the great fortune to know fred as a clinical colleague, a research collaborator, a sometime squash partner, and a friend. his leaving this world on his terms is still too soon and too sad. he loved learning and thinking and challenging you with new ideas and proposals. he was able to master new fields quickly, bring in novel insights and generate collaborations that extended his clinical skills into new biology. he was beyond funny and clever and made every interaction with him fun and memorable. may all of us hug our families and friends in his memory and enjoy the best parts of our lives while we can in celebration of him

jeff murray