Bob Diehl, 84, a rower, businessman and Western Washington University Athletics Hall of Famer, died on Sunday, Jan. 28 from an apparent heart attack.
Diehl was president of the Diehl Ford Company (now Bellingham Ford) — the third oldest Ford dealership in the world at one time. He received the Whatcom County Business Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004 and was named “Dealer of the Year” by the Washington State Auto Dealers Association in 2007.
He also was a prominent competitive rower and coach, and is remembered for his extensive community service.
Born in 1939, Diehl graduated from Bellingham High School in 1957 and earned a degree in business administration from the University of Washington in 1961. He rowed for the Huskies for three years (1958-60).
Diehl’s first coach at Seattle’s Montlake Cut was Al Ulbrickson of “Boys in the Boat” fame, who coached the Huskies to a gold medal at the 1936 Olympic Games, according to information compiled by Paul Madison, longtime Western sports information director and historian.
Diehl completed a tour of duty with the U.S. Army before returning to Bellingham.
He coached men’s rowing at Western from 1970 to 1976 and was inducted into the WWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. Two of his rowers, Chuck Rutherford and Darrell Vreugdenhil, went on to compete in the Olympic Games, according to Madison.
As coach, Diehl started the WWU Invitational Regatta. Under his leadership, Western first appeared at the Opening Day Regatta in 1973. His varsity eights won LaFramboise Cup titles in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975. In 1973, his varsity four placed fourth at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association championships.
He began masters-level rowing again in 1992, according to Madison, and won medals in singles, doubles and quads competitions.
A member of the Bellingham Rotary Club for 59 years, community service was also central to Diehl’s life.
Sandee Lindhout, Rotary Club executive secretary, said in an email that Diehl was president of the club in 1974-75, and was a Paul Harris Fellow four times — an acknowledgment of a person who contributed or had $1,000 contributions made in their name to the Rotary Foundation. He received the 2012-13 David C. Morse Sr. Community Service Award, one of the club’s four awards for long-term service.
In 2011, Diehl and others founded the Whatcom Rowing Association, a nonprofit rowing club for youth and adults. He was central in the construction of the boathouse on Lake Whatcom.
Paulette Bergh, board president of the Whatcom Rowing Association, said Diehl was “dogged” in his pursuit to bring rowing to the community
“His focus was how good it is for kids … what a positive influence it was for him, and I think he wanted to have that for Whatcom County and for Bellingham,” she said.
“It’s easy to say that the Whatcom Rowing Association would not exist if it hadn’t been for Bob,” said Courtney Moeller, Whatcom Rowing Association program director and assistant coach of WWU Rowing. “It was certainly a dream and a vision that he had, and because of his enthusiasm and his ability to bring people together, we’re all here today.”
Moeller said he was still rowing up until the end of his life and said part of his legacy is his love for the sport and his emphasis on community-building.
“He was a big proponent of not only are we rowing and getting exercise, but it’s a place where you can meet friends that are like your family,” she said.
Moeller said Diehl lived the saying: “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Brad Jackson, a friend of Diehl’s, said he met him in 1985 when he was the basketball coach at Western. Jackson, now retired, is the coach of Sehome High School’s boys basketball team.
Jackson said Diehl and his wife of 47 years, Conni, were very supportive of the WWU athletics department and rarely missed a basketball or football game.
“Through that early connection, that was the foundation, the catalyst [of our relationship],” Jackson said. “We lost a good one in Bob.”
Jackson said Diehl’s “desire to serve the community was incredible.”
“Bob was the kind of guy, that at least for me, was someone who was always looking to see what he could do for you,” Jackson said.
In addition to his wife, Diehl is survived by a son from a previous marriage, Mike (wife Tracy) and four grandchildren. One grandson, Gus, was a standout soccer midfielder at Western from 2018 to 2022, being a four-time conference academic all-star, Madison said.
A celebration of life ceremony is to be announced.
This story was updated at 1:21 p.m. Feb. 8, 2024, to include additional comments from Bob Diehl’s loved ones.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
