Lt. Colonel
in U.S. Air Force
Fun Loving …
Garlic Festival
Organizer and
Community Supporter
ever. We didn’t think he would die because
he never gave up,” Diane said.
Dyer was very generous with his
resources and with his time. His
contributions to Gilroy are proof of his
dedication to the community, having served
as a past President of the Chamber of
Commerce, as one of the original organizers
of the Garlic Festival, and as a visionary
behind the institution of the Gilroy Hall
of Fame in 1983.
“He was a great friend to many, many,
people. And he helped a lot of small
business people,” daughter Loni Dyer, said.
Dyer’s countless contributions are his
legacy to a city he loved.
“He loved Gilroy. He felt like it was his
town. He got involved. He knew every-
body. He just liked making Gilroy better,”
Diane said.
One of Dyer’s greatest personal achieve-
ments came at the age of 70, when he was
baptized as a born again Christian.
“For him to humble himself to do that
was life changing for him, and for me,”
Diane said.
“Because he tried to live that life, as best
he could. That was probably the thing that
gave him the biggest surge of peace in his
life, knowing that he was going to go to
heaven. It gave us all a lot of peace too.”
But it was Dyer’s unending dedication
to his family that Diane considers her hus-
band’s greatest accomplishment.
“He always encouraged us to do things
that we wanted to do, and not to be afraid.
Until his dying day, he was doing that, he
was very positive,” Loni said.
Rick Dyer, the eldest son, is grateful for
the valuable lesson his father instilled in all
four of his children.
“From an early age he taught us to never
give up, that it is good to give back, and
that family is everything,” Rick said.
“My Dad never gave up on me, and
taught me to live my life the same way. I’ll
always miss him, but I was blessed to have
had him as my father,” youngest daughter,
Maura said.
As a testament to his dedication to his
family, Dyer spent the last year of his life,
despite his illness, working with his daugh-
ter-in-law, Ruth, compiling his memoirs in
a book entitled, “My Story.”
“He wanted to start a family history so
that his kids, and grandkids, could have it.
That’s why he did it,” Diane said. “I think
it’s something he was very proud of.”
Just weeks before his final stay in the
hospital Dyer invited Diane, Loni, Maura,
Ruth, and his office manager, Andrea,
to lunch.
It was February 13 th , and he wanted to
take his girls out for Valentine’s Day. When
the ladies arrived at the restaurant, already
in place at each of their seats, were giant
stuffed teddy bears.
“He just got this idea that this is what
he wanted to do,” Diane said. “It was
fun, he was treating us all like we were
his Valentine.”
For Dyer’s youngest son, Michael, his
father was a man about strength, family,
and love. As Dyer battled myeloma cancer,
a form of bone cancer, Michael was waging
his own battle with a similar disease.
“While undergoing this extremely
devastating journey, Dad not only
supported me, but he cheered me on
and quite literally held me up and carried
me through my treatment and recovery,”
Michael said.
“He provided me all his support
while he himself was undergoing the
ravages of chemo and other life challenges.
He was a constant source of strength and
motivation.”
Weeks before he passed away, Diane
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
MAY/JUNE 2016
Businessman
Real Estate Developer
took Bob on what they called “their
little dates.” As Diane drove her husband
through the town of San Juan Bautista
she recalls Bob reaching out his hand, and
taking hold of hers.
“It’s not going to be long now,” he’d
said to her.
As heartbreaking as it was to hear those
words, Diane was comforted with the
certainty that her husband was ready.
With a catch in her throat, Diane
explained. “He was very confident about
where he was going to go.”
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