Frank W. Dittman Sr.

Frank W. Dittman, Sr.

AGE: 98 • Bridgewater

Frank W. Dittman, Sr. 98, died Friday, May 5, 2017, in Burke, Virginia. Frank was a long-time resident of Bridgewater, New Jersey where he and his wife of 57 years, Audrey, raised their 5 children and served the community through many civic organizations. He served as Bridgewater's Mayor and on the Bridgewater Township Committee for many years. As Bridgewater's Mayor, he oversaw the development of the Bridgewater Commons shopping mall and the Bridgewater swimming pool, both enhancements to the vitality of the community. He also served on the Somerset-Raritan-Valley Sewerage Authority, and designed the Martin Luther King Center.

Frank was born in a small Pennsylvania town, his father a mechanical engineer, and his mother a school teacher who instilled in him a love of reading and learning. He also had an abiding love of music from an early age—he was a gifted musician who played the piano and trombone throughout his life, both solo and in a variety of orchestras and bands.

He obtained an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and his doctorate from Cornell. He is a World War II veteran—immediately after completing his Ph.D, Frank joined the Navy. He served in the Pacific theater as an Electronics Specialist, responsible for all electronic equipment on board the USS Henrico.

After the war, Frank married and worked as a Chemical Engineer at two steel manufacturers in Pittsburgh, until he was recruited to help start Rutgers University's department of Chemical Engineering. Frank built the three-story Rutgers chemical engineering lab and was a professor there for 27 years. He retired as a Professor Emeritus, and earned honors and awards for his work in chemical engineering.

In 1963, Frank and Audrey were founding members of the Bridgewater United Methodist Church, and Frank was its first organist. Before the congregation had a building, they held services in a variety of school and community auditoriums, and Frank would carry a portable organ to every service. Today the church is a large building with a large congregation, and a very large pipe organ (non-portable!).

Frank is survived by four children, Evelyn, Dorothy, Sally, and Frank Jr., 5 grandchildren, and 1-1/2 great-grandchildren. He was beloved by his family and the community. He'll be sorely missed.

Viewing will be held Tuesday, May 23, 2017 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Branchburg Funeral Home, 910 Highway 202, South Branchburg, NJ. Funeral services will start with a prayer at the funeral home at 9:45 am on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 followed by a 10:30 AM church service at Bridgewater United Methodist Church, 662 Country Club Rd., Bridgewater, NJ. Interment will follow at the Bound Brook Cemetery, Bound Brook, NJ. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Bridgewater United Methodist Church and the American Heart Association.Visit www.branchburgfuneralhome.com