He was a graduate of Kingston High School (Pennsylvania). Attended Wilkes College for a time and then joined the United States. Navy, serving as an electronics technician on the United States Ship McKean.
After being found guilty of insurance fraud, Dietterick lost in a landslide in 1990 to Democrat Phyllis Mundy, who occupied the seat until her 2014 retirement. He died of cancer in 2015 at the age of 74. Upon honorable discharge from the service, he returned home to work in the family business as a licensed independent agent/adjuster.
In 1975, he founded Wyoming Valley Insurance, an insurance business.
After nine years on the Kingston City Council, he ran for the Pennsylvania State Legislature and served for two consecutive terms in the 120th district from 1987 to 1991. He was convicted of charges related to insurance fraud in October 1990, a month before the election.
Dietterick sued unsuccessfully to remove his name from the state ballot and lost in a landslide to Democrat Phyllis Mundy. Dietterick was spared a jail sentence.
His supporters packed the courtroom on the day of his sentencing and he received overwhelming support from his community, according to news accounts at the time.
In 1995, he worked for Federal Emergency Management Agency, as a community relations specialist, traveling the United States and Puerto Rico, helping victims cope with their losses from Hurricane Georges. In 2000, he accepted a position with P.E.M.A., as an emergency management specialist planning hazardous materials exercises. He retired in 2008.