Carmelita Sue Diller

Carmelita Sue Diller

August 13, 1936 — December 19, 2025

Carmelita Sue Diller, 89, of Amarillo passed from this life on Friday, December 19, 2025.

A rosary will be held on Monday, December 22, 2025 , at 6:30 p.m. at Schooler Funeral Home, Brentwood Chapel, 4100 South Georgia. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St, Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., with Rev. John Valdez presiding. Burial will be at Llano Cemetery.

Sue was born on August 13, 1936, in Groom, Texas, to Walter and Bernice Ollinger. They instilled in her a strong Catholic faith and devotion to family that she practiced all her life. She grew up on the farm outside of Groom with four brothers and one sister. She had a wonderful childhood, working on the farm, helping her dad milk the cows, playing the organ at church, and playing basketball for the Groom High School Tigers.

After graduating high school in Groom, she continued her education at the St. Anthony’s Hospital School of Nursing in Amarillo and San Antonio. It was in this program that she spotted a picture of the brother of her roommate, Coletta, and said, “I am going to marry that man!” After Coletta made the introduction, Sue never looked back and, indeed, married that man, Gerald Diller, on May 31, 1958!

Sue and Gerald began their married life together, moving to Dallas for a short stay before job opportunities took them to Phoenix, AZ. It was in Phoenix that the first three of their four children were born. While in Phoenix, Sue happily devoted herself to her young family. After several years there, Sue and Gerald moved back to Texas, settling in Amarillo to be near their families again. It was there that the last of their four children was born, and there that Sue went to work at St. Anthony’s Hospital in the operating room, along with Coletta, where she would enjoy a 30-year career. Sue and Gerald lived out their lives in Amarillo, where they raised their children, enjoyed their families and good friends, and enjoyed almost 60 years of marriage before Gerald’s passing in 2018.

Throughout her life, Sue had a strong devotion to her family, her faith, and music. After raising their four children, she enjoyed being “Mommom” to 9 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. By her example, she passed on her devotion to faith and family and her strong work ethic to all of us. She used her musical talents in service of her church, as an organist at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and in the choirs at St. Joseph’s and St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, where she and Gerald were founding members.

She loved the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra and was a long-time member of the Symphony Guild. She also loved attending Texas Tech football games, though we suspect she loved spending the time with her grandchildren at the game more than the game itself!

By her life’s example, Sue instilled in her family faithfulness, morality, strength, independence, and respect for ourselves and others. She will be greatly missed!

Sue was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Gerald; her parents; and three brothers. She is survived by her four children, Mark Diller (wife Kelli) of Amarillo; Michelle Erickson (husband Lyle) of Amarillo; Stephanie Hazuka (husband Paul) of Lubbock; Steven Diller (wife Suzan) of Dallas; nine grandchildren, Jordan Barben (husband Tony), McCall Williams (husband Jon), Greyson Diller (wife Laiken), Lychelle Brown (husband Harry), Olivia Erickson, Heather Royal (husband Rob), Stephen Hazuka (fiancée Kristin), Abbey Hernandez (husband Miguel), and Ryan Diller; seven great-grandchildren, Molli and Charlotte Williams, RJ, Walker, and Karsen Brown, Elliott Erickson, and Eloise Royal; her sister, Yvonne Keating of Costa Mesa, CA, and brother, Tommy Weller (wife Dianna) of Claude, TX.

The family suggests memorials be made to St. Lucien’s Chapel P.O. Box 5644, Amarillo, Texas 79117.