Tanner Dietrich Foundation

About Tanner

Tanner James Dietrich was born on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, as a healthy 10lb, 4oz baby boy. Tanner made an impact on many and accomplished so much.  In school at Rochester, he participated in twerp football, youth basketball, baseball, art club, student council, and the Rochester High School Marching Band. 

Tanner’s strong work ethic, determination, sportsmanship, and sense of humor made him a valued teammate.  He always worked hard and never missed a practice. His good-natured personality ensured an ever-present and positive outlook towards his time in community and school-related activities.

Tanner’s school and community activities were shared with his vibrant quests at home. Tanner’s hard-working nature flourished when it met his creative resourcefulness in his grandfather’s garage. Tanner and his grandfather enjoyed spending time in the garage welding, creating, and exploring the trades together.

Tanner approached all of his activities with an energy that was contagious and a sense of responsible independence that was well beyond his age. His preteen years showed that he could handle exploring the community on his bike, baking Funfetti cupcakes in the kitchen, and cooking his family pizza and tacos.

Tanner loved music and playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)!  He loved performing with his classmates in the high school band and even had a good group of friends that shared his love of D&D. His love of music influenced his love of band t-shirts and led him to saving up his own money to buy a drum set!

During the summer months, Tanner spent most of his time camping at Evergreen Lake Park in Conneaut, Ohio with his family, and his beloved Golden Retriever, Cooper.  

During these summer days at camp, he would swim in the swimming lake, fish, play on the black raft doing flips into the water and kayak up down the lake.  He enjoyed chopping wood for the campfires at night where he would engage in conversations with his family and friends. He loved going to the camp office and buying pizza. He would often pass on the ice cream and choose to eat his own entire pizza instead!

Tanner, who was quite the history buff, became quite the traveler in his short life. He coupled his love of history with his energetic approach to learning and exploring.  He loved traveling with his family to places like Disney World, Universal Studios, Massanutten, Conneaut, New York, trips to Florida, a cruise to the Bahamas, Gettysburg, Cedar Point, Hershey and many other places. 

Everywhere he went, Tanner shared his love of thrill seeking with his sister as they searched out the biggest, fastest, and most exhilarating roller coasters.

It is hard to encapsulate Tanner in just a few paragraphs, but the Tanner Dietrich Foundation’s purpose is, in part, to continue to tell his story because Tanner’s story is still being written. The Tanner Dietrich Foundation will keep Tanner’s memory alive by supporting activities that Tanner loved.

A note from the family:

Our endeavors are made possible by generous donations from family, friends, corporations, and our annual fund-raising events.

In Loving Memory of Tanner

An amazing young man

Is gone too soon

A perfect boy

That you loved to the moon

From a newborn baby

To forever thirteen

This unimaginable loss

That you could never have foreseen

He was your pride and joy

He was your light

This talented young man

Had a future so bright

Now with shattered dreams

And tears on your face

You will lay him to rest

In God’s loving embrace

Gone but never forgotten

We will remember your son

He will live on forever

In the hearts of everyone

Fly High Tanner-You will be missed!