Dietrich “Dieter” Hampf

Dietrich “Dieter” Hampf, 83, of Lawton died peacefully after a long battle with dementia on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

A private family celebration of life will be held at a later date. Rohde Funeral Home of Kingsley is assisting the family. Condolences may be directed to the family at rohdefh.com.

Dieter was born June 17, 1939, in Kleinitz, East Germany, to Dr. Franz and Elisabeth (Zepke) Hampf. As a young boy his family escaped through the Berlin Wall with only a suitcase of belongings. Dieter was a superior soccer player and a member of the national German youth team.

He was mechanically gifted and worked as an apprentice in the Mercedes factories there. He dreamed of a better life and immigrated to the US at the age of 18, coming through Ellis Island. He was a cowboy at the Harder Ranch outside Moses Lake, Wash. Dieter later moved to Great Falls, Montana, and started Dieter’s German Auto, which he also ran in Lawton. Where ever he was, his reputation was the guy that knew how to fix European cars right.

Dieter loved wild and domesticated animals, especially his German Shepherds, Duchess and Shirley, and his shop cats, Fritz, Fritzlean, and Hersheylean. He enjoyed things of the Fatherland – fast cars, German food and drink, and polka music. He retained his strong German accent throughout his life, and very proud of his heritage. He also enjoyed boating, watching Westerns and German sports, Elvis music and entertaining.

He is survived by his wife, Janet Dorale-Hampf; children, David, Mike, Butch, and Alisa; grandchildren; and siblings, Hildegard, Klaus, and twin brother, Achiem.
Memorials may be made to charities of choice in Dieter’s name.

Guten Nacht Dieter, may your memory be eternal.