Edith Hedges "Ditta" Lipkind

Lipkind, Edith Hedges "Ditta," of Pittsburgh, Pa, died July 10, 2006 at Atria South Hills, Pittsburgh. Mrs. Lipkind "Ditta" was born in Champaign, Ill., but spent most of her "growing up" years in Wichita, Kan. She was a graduate of Wichita High School East, the University of Illinois and the Physical Therapy School of Harvard Medical. As a 2nd Lt. during WWII, she was stationed at the Army Amputation Center in Atlantic City, N.J. After the war, Ditta came to Pittsburgh and worked as a physical therapist specializing in gait training in the office of Murray B. Ferderber M.D. Later she became head of the physical therapy departments at both the Montefiore and Suburban and was instrumental in designing the layout of the physical therapy department in the Montefiore's new building. She was also instrumental in the integration of physical therapy, occupation therapy and recreational therapy to further the patient's rehabilitation, both in the hospital and at home. Ditta's interests and enthusiasm was endless: music, gourmet cooking, nature, politics, history, gardening, sports ice skating, skiing, swimming and diving, jogging and racing. In "the Great Race" of 1990 she took 3rd place in the 65-69 female division. She was also an avid fan of professional sports. After Mrs. Lipkind retired, she spent the rest of her life as a volunteer tutor to 2nd and 3rd graders at Linden School in Pittsburgh, creating many ingenious materials to help them learn reading and math. All who knew and worked with Mrs. Lipkind were impressed with her generosity and lifelong contributions to her family, friends and her community. Mrs. Lipkind donated her body to science at the University of Pittsburgh through the Humanity Gift Registry. She is survived by her twin, Elaine Hedges Book of Santa Rosa, Calif.; Virginia Hedges Aldendifer of Wichita; dear friend, Kim D'Ippolito of Pittsburgh; numerous nieces and nephews. Her husband, Saul Lipkind, an actuary for Blue Cross, Pittsburgh and a brother, Bob A. Hedges, Ambler, Pa., preceded her in death.