MARTHA "Marty" DITMEYER

DITMEYER MARTHA STARK DRAPER DITMEYER "Marty" 1942~ 2017 Marty Ditmeyer of Alexandria passed away peacefully at home on September 2, 2017, following a nearly four-year fight with ovarian cancer. She was born on October 16, 1942, in Boston to Dr. Charles Stark Draper and Ivy Willard Draper of Newton MA. Doc Draper was known for leading the MIT Instrumentation Lab team that developed the inertial guidance system that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon and back. Marty graduated from Newton High School and received a BA in history in 1964 from the University of the Pacific, Stockton CA, and an MA in history in 1966 from Boston University. She then worked as a paralegal on space law issues with the law firm of Haley, Bader & Potts in Washington DC before joining the Communications Satellite Corporation (Comsat) as manager of its office in Geneva, Switzerland. Upon returning to the US in 1969, Marty joined the staff of MIT where she worked on several programs including the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and Project MAC, where her office had a terminal to access the ARPANET, a predecessor of the Internet. While working for the MIT Alumni Association, she started dating Steve Ditmeyer, an MIT graduate and a railroad man. When they married in 1979 at the MIT Chapel, they embarked on a life that resulted in them living in Anchorage AK, Washington DC, St. Paul MN, Fairway KS, Boise ID, and Alexandria VA, where they finally settled for the last 22 years. Upon returning east with her children grown, Marty worked for the National Academy of Public Administration where she oversaw the final production of all the academy's reports during her 13 years there. She retired from NAPA in 2010. In recent years, Marty served as president of the Zonta Club of the Arlington Area, was active with several groups at the Hollin Hall Senior Center, did water aerobics with the Water Ducks at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center, and was active with Christ Church's Stewards of the Dirt (SOD) gardening group. Marty was a dear friend to many, a voracious reader, and an avid gardener. She was a true force of nature who will be greatly missed. Marty is survived by her husband Steve, daughter Anne Stark Ditmeyer of Paris, son David Stark Ditmeyer of Alexandria, brother James Stark Draper of Newton MA, cousins, three sisters-in-law, and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. Her parents and her brothers John and Michael predeceased her. The funeral service for Marty will be held at Christ Church (Episcopal), Alexandria VA at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 9, 2017. Her ashes will be buried in the church garden, and a reception will follow in the church's Meade Room. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Marty's name to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (ocrfa.org), Girls on the Run (www.girlsontherun.org), and the Christ Church Foundation (www.historicchristchurch.org/give/christ-church-foundation). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Marty's name to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (ocrfa.org), Girls on the Run (www.girlsontherun.org), and the Christ Church Foundation (www.historicchristchurch.org/give/christ-church-foundation).