Iowa State and the College of Design are mourning the loss of one of their professors.

More than 200 people, including students, faculty and ISU President Martin Jischke, attended the funeral service of Norman Dietrich, an associate professor of landscape architecture who died of a heart attack while on Ragbrai, the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.

“He was very serious in what he did, and enjoyed what he did,” said Al Rutledge, who had introduced Dietrich to ISU in 1985.

“Dietrich had degrees in landscape architecture and in engineering,” Rutledge, who is now retired, said. “He had a successful private practice in Michigan specializing in landscape architecture, civil engineering and urban planning.”

Rutledge said Dietrich gave up the practice in order to start teaching and spent time at Texas A&M before coming to Iowa State to finish his Ph.D.

“He could practice in any number of realms,” Rutledge said, adding that Dietrich was an international expert in mine reclamation and the reconstruction of all kinds of derelict land, including landfills.

Chris Reidel King, event marketing coordinator at the Des Moines Register, said, “According to our newspaper, 14 people have died in the 24-year history of the ride; Dietrich was the 13th.

“There were about 9,000 registered riders, but on some days the number of riders swelled to 12,000 to 15,000,” she said.

Two other riders died on this year’s Ragbrai, Reidel King said. Kurt Schukhart, 25, of Cedar Falls, and Charles W. Lackmann, 55, of Mason City.