Mrs. Lillian C. Deibert, age 94, of Florence, died on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at ECM Hospital.
Born on July 23, 1916 in Haddonfield, NJ, she met her late husband, Dr. Kirk R. Deibert, while working at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. They later moved to Nashville, TN before settling in Florence in 1954 when Dr. and Mrs. Deibert purchased the land for Rolling Acres Stock Farm. Dr. Deibert was the first board certified Radiologist in Northwest Alabama while Mrs. Deibert worked the farm, raising horses and giving riding lessons to area residents.
Dr. and Mrs. Deibert shared their love of the farm with their community when they donated their land to the City of Florence to be developed into a passive park. It was dedicated on May 25, 2000 and renamed Deibert Park. In addition to her love of nature and work on the farm, she was also an avid UNA sports fan. A longtime season ticketholder and proud supporter of UNA athletics, Mrs. Deibert regularly attended home games for UNA football, basketball, and baseball. She was also a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church of Florence.
She is survived by her brother Charles B. Cook of Churchville, VA; four nephews and a niece; numerous great-nephews and great-nieces; and her beloved caretakers.
She was preceded in death by her husband Dr. Kirk R. Deibert, in 1993; her sisters Miriam C. Wilby in 1990 and Eleanor C. Harvey in 2010.
Visitation will be Sunday February 13th in her home in Deibert Park beginning at 10:00 a.m. A service to celebrate her life will follow at 2:00 p.m. on the grounds of her home. Mrs. Deibert will be buried within the park near the area where her beloved horses were buried following the 1991 barn fire. The public is invited to the service and the graveside committal.
Pallbearers will be Leon Bates, Paul Graham, Jamie Jamison, Mike Lane, Grady Liles, Charles Morris, Bud Ward, and John Upton. Honorary bearers will be Dr. Patricia Auxier, Betty Burdine, Oliver Cotton, Doug Curtis, Joe Garner, Mary Garner, Herman Hodge, Robert Robinson, Members of the Deibert''s Rolling Acre Farm Foundation Board of Directors: Carnelia Dean, Mayor Bobby Irons, Henry Jones, Drew Parkhurst, George Pillow, Rudi Pillow, Freddie Tyree, Charles Watkins, and Brant Young.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Deibert''s Rolling Acre Farm Foundation Museum Fund or the UNA Sportsman''s Club.