Eugene George Ditter

1936 - 2020

Eugene George Ditter

Passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 18, 2020 at Lake Winona Manor in Winona MN.

He was born on September 9, 1936 son of George and Esther (Blanck) Ditter at their home in Graham's Corners of rural Saint Cloud, WI.

He attended Glenbeulah High School and Moraine Park Technical College of Fond du Lac where he studied industrial arts and machining.

On January 24, 1956 he proudly joined and served the U.S. Army, as a communications squad leader. He was one of only a few men who survived a plane crash in the Mekong River in Korea and was honorably discharged on November 13, 1957.

On January 22, 1955 he married Marilyn K. Gahagan and they had four children. On September 25, 1965 he married Judith M. Karls and they had two children. On September 2, 1988 he married Candy (Lillian) Hornberger.

He worked various jobs, but was primarily a master machinist most of his working career. He retired at the age of 67 from Fastenal in Winona, MN.

After retirement he volunteered serving senior citizens and the disabled. He had a life-long interest in helping the disadvantaged. He enjoyed making other people happy and always had a great sense of humor. His philosophy was "if you meet someone without a smile, give them one of your own" or when strangers would tell him to have a good day he would reply "and you have a better one!" He loved the outdoors, exploring nature and the countryside with his wife Candy, fishing, football and spending time with his family. Also important to him was his Catholic faith and he had served as an altar boy as a child.

He is survived by his wife and best friend Candy (Lillian) Ditter, Winona MN; brothers Don (Bernie) Ditter, Glenbeulah WI and Ken (Grace) Ditter, Armstrong WI; sisters Eileen Starnitcky, Glenbeulah WI and Ginny (Mark) Petrie, St. Cloud WI; sister-in laws Susan Hornberger, Versailles MO and Carrie (Bob) Doran, Kingdom MO; sons Steven (Cindy) Ditter, Sheboygan Falls WI and Mike (Jackie) Ditter, Grand Rapids MI; daughters Lori Ditter, Hartford WI and Tammy Ditter, Fond du Lac WI; uncle and aunt-in-law Allen and Rosie Fowler, Fall Leaf KS; grandchildren Maggie Ditter, Stephanie Ditter, Nicholas Ditter, Robert Boots, Mike Jr. Ditter, Melissa Ditter, Alex Ditter and Valerie Scheel; great-grandchildren Andreux Rice, Nathan Rice, Bailey Ditter, Ethan Ditter, Vanessa Harris and Joy Wigfall; and many nieces and nephews.

He was proceeded in death by his parents George and Esther (Blanck) Ditter, mother and father-in-law Orval and Evelyn Gulley, sisters Carol Beuk, Kathy (John) Cary and Mary Ann Borgen, brother-in-laws Wayne (Eileen) Starnitcky, Bob (Ginny) Sippel, Bill Hornberger and David (Susan) Hornberger, sister-in-law Edna Wustefeld, son Tom Ditter, daughter Marjean (Andy) Boots, son-in-law Andy Boots, and a grandson Anthony Ditter.

Cremation has already taken place and the family will hold a private celebration of his life at a later date.

A very special thank you to the staff and personnel of Lake Winona Manor who took exceptional care of Gene during his extensive residency, always treating him as if he was a member of their own family.