Bernard J. Diddle, 89, of Marietta and formerly of Racine, passed away at 9:18 p.m. on Monday, March 19, 2012, in the Marietta Memorial Hospital. Born February 16, 1923, in Racine, he was the son of the late Oval and Sarah Roush Diddle. He was retired from the U.S. Corps of Engineers having served as lockmaster at the Gallipolis Locks & Dam. He was a member of the Antiquity Baptist Church, a 57 year member of the Pomeroy/Racine Lodge #164 of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio, a life-time member of the Racine Post #602 of the American Legion, Meigs County Gun Club and the Meigs County Fish and Game Club. He was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII.

Surviving is his wife, Opal Miller Diddle, whom he married on July 3, 1947, in Cattlettsburg, Kentucky; three sons, George (Cathy) Diddle, of Columbus, Ohio, Tom (Sharon) Diddle, of Portersville, Pennsylvania, and Bon (Elaine) Diddle, of Belpre, Ohio; six grandchildren, Steven Diddle, Bob Don Diddle, Holly Panazzi, Mandy Diddle, Hayley Diddle and Christine Diddle; eleven great-grandchildren; brothers, Tom (Pam) Diddle, of Racine, and Don (Carol) Diddle, of Pomeroy; sisters, Libby Fisher, Marilyn Powell and Carolyn Adams, all of Racine; sisters-in-law, Vicki Diddle, of Addison, and Betty Diddle, of Auxier, Kentucky.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by brothers, Waid Diddle and Ralph Diddle; sister, Adria Dials; and brother-in-law, Arthur Dials.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m., Friday, March 23, 2012, in the Cremeens Funeral Home, Racine. Officiating will be Rev. Don Walker. Interment will be in the Letart Falls Cemetery.

Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Military graveside services will be conducted by Racine American Legion Post #602, Feeney Bennett Post #128 of the American Legion and Tuppers Plains Post #9053, Veterans of Foreign Wars. A Masonic service will be conducted at 12:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.