Longtime Salina Businessman Jerry Diehl Leaves a Legacy Built Over Decades

Jerry Diehl, a longtime Salina businessman whose family construction company served the region for roughly half a century, died Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

Diehl was best known through Jerry Diehl Construction, a Salina company with roots dating to 1975. Over the decades, the business became a familiar name in foundation repair, basement waterproofing, excavation, grading, concrete work and other construction services.

His work was not always the kind people noticed once a project was finished. Foundations, drainage systems and structural repairs are often hidden beneath homes and businesses. But they are the work that keeps buildings standing, properties usable and families secure.

That practical, hands-on work became part of Diehl’s legacy in Salina.

For generations of property owners, contractors and local businesses, the Diehl name became associated with solving difficult problems and completing jobs that required experience, equipment and a willingness to do demanding work.

Diehl’s business interests also included transportation and demolition. Historical records show the company participated in municipal projects outside Salina, including the demolition of the former Concordia City Hall and another city building in 1995.

The company’s longtime location at 521 Bishop Street became a lasting part of Salina’s business landscape. Through changing economic conditions, construction methods and generations of customers, the Diehl business continued operating under the family name.

Few local businesses remain active for five decades. Doing so requires persistence, relationships and a reputation strong enough for customers to continue calling.

Diehl’s legacy can be seen not only in the company that carries his family name, but also in the homes, businesses and projects his work helped support throughout Salina and the surrounding area.

Additional information about Diehl’s life, family and funeral arrangements had not been publicly released when this story was prepared.