Kim Dietz was a mother and a wife and the epitome of what it means to be both. Kim’s stepmother said her ‘whole world’ was her daughter Shannon, who was also a student at UCC. Born in the UK, north of London, Kim’s sense of adventure and tough spirit led her to enroll in college classes at the age of 59 to gain more life experience.
Kim was strong and compassionate with a special fondness for animals. Family members recall their amazement at Dietz’ ability to calm and tame the wildest of animals such as feral cats, revealing her innate sense of mothering to even the smallest of creatures.
Family was at the center of everything in Kim’s life. Extremely close with her daughter, Kim had many people in her life who recognized and appreciated her strength and kindness. Kim’s aunt lovingly remembered Kim by saying, ‘She was just the sort of person to have a go. She was so kind.’