In the early morning hours of Thursday, June 29, Alice Margaret (Wear) Dierker of Newport, NC passed from this life surrounded with all the grace, dignity and love that she had shown others throughout her whole life.
She was born Alice Margaret Wear in Carthage, IL on January 19, 1938, to Roberta Leota Render and Vernon Martin Wear. She had 8 siblings, Robert Edward “Bob”, William Donald “Bill”, Mary Eunice, Donna Sue, Frances Hope “Fran”, Roberta Katherine “Kay”, Alfred Louis “Bud”, and Vernon Martin “Vernie”.
She was a 1956 graduate of Carthage High School (now Illini West) and was a lifelong supporter of their sports teams having several nieces and nephews attend as well.
In 1964 while in California for training as a switchboard operator, she met the love of her life, a young US Marine Sergeant named Henry Allen “Hank” Dierker. They married on September 11, 1964, in Downey, CA and she quickly took on the role of a Marine wife, living on and off military bases and being transferred to new and unfamiliar places every few years. Their first son Mark Allen was born in the family hometown of Carthage, IL in 1965 and later their second son Joseph Eugene was born in Memphis, TN in 1968. Alice kept up a family tradition of calling each son on their birthday each year at the exact time of their birth.
When Hank got ready to head off to Vietnam a few years later he handed Alice the checkbook and told her she was now in charge. She took that responsibility seriously and became the family accountant for the rest of their lives together. The family moved through several military assignments including Los Angeles, CA, Memphis, TN, Cherry Point, NC and Washington DC with Hank also taking assignments in Japan and Norway over the years. Through it all she remained in charge of the family.
At times when Hank had to be overseas for long periods or when she was in the hospital due to an ongoing heart condition, her extended family on both sides would step in to help out. As a result her sons never missed out on the benefit of positive role models and adult helpers through various stages of early life.
In 1987 when Hank retired from the Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel after more than 30 years he asked her which had been the favorite of the duty stations where they had lived. She replied Cherry Point which is on the coast of North Carolina and so they built a house near the ocean outside Morehead City, NC where they have lived for the last 36 years.
Alice remained close with family and friends over the years, returning to her hometown often to visit brothers and sisters and help give care when they were ill. She particularly enjoyed reminiscing about their childhoods growing up and hearing about the lives of all the new nieces and nephews and their children as well. She shared in their happiness over births, graduations and marriages and also shared the grief over those lost too young.
With Hank she became a member of the Boy Scouting family in both the Washington DC area as well as the Eastern North Carolina area. She took great joy in helping out with events wherever she was needed, cooking, taking care of registrations and offering advice and counsel. In this way they positively touched the lives of thousands of boys and girls and stood as true role models.
Alice loved spending time with family and friends. Mark and Joe were spread out across the US but they always came home at Christmas except where the Covid years would not allow. She had a small network of good friends and neighbors including the “Silver Sneakers” a group of ladies who had all met at the gym and got together for lunch on a regular basis.
And she always had Hank whom she supported faithfully for nearly 59 years of marriage. They took the marriage vows seriously. “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
Their life together included all of those things. And in the end when she could no longer hold onto life, he was there by her side. Alice lived a life of grace, love and dignity. She shared those with everyone she met and she got them back in return.
She was a member of the Catholic faith and a member of several congregations including Holy Family Catholic Church in Dale City, VA., Annunciation Catholic Church in Havelock, NC and St. Egberts Catholic Church in Morehead City, NC.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Vernon Martin and Roberta Leota (Render) Wear, 3 brothers, Robert L., (Sela), William D., (Doris) and Vernon M., (Gail). And 3 sisters, Mary E., (Harlan Tobias), Donna S., (Leroy Strieker) and Frances H., (John Artman). She is survived by her husband Hank of Newport, NC, two sons Mark (Debra Sullivan) of Dubuque, IA, Joseph (Rhia Bucklin) of Seattle, WA, her sister Kay (the late Frank Sumner) of Quincy, IL and her brother Bud Wear (Linda) of Carthage, IL and several nieces and nephews and their extended families.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Cherry Point Bay Nursing and Rehab Center for helping her regain her strength after a fall and serious infection earlier this year and especially the Emergency and Critical Care units of Carteret General Hospital who treated “Miss Alice” with the same care they would have given their own mother.
A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, July 8th, 2023, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Carthage with burial to follow in Moss Ridge Cemetery in Carthage. A visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 PM Friday evening at Printy Funeral Home in Carthage. A Rosary will be held at 7:00 PM following the visitation at the funeral home in Carthage. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in her name to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Carthage, IL or the East Carolina Council BSA in Kinston, NC. Printy Funeral Home of Carthage is in charge of arrangements.
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