Glen Elsworth Ditto

Glen Elsworth Ditto, the son of Allen and Kathryn (Dutler) Ditto, was born June 8, 1921, at home on his parents’ farm in Guthrie County, Iowa and died December 5, 2014, at the Manning Plaza in Manning, Iowa at the age of 93 years, 5 months, and 27 days.
Glen was baptized and confirmed at the Lone Star Church in Guthrie County. He attended rural school through eighth grade then helped on the family farm. Glen met his future wife, Thelma Lorraine Scott, at the Lone Star Church in Guthrie County. Glen worked for area farmers until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in July of 1942. On January 9, 1943, Glen and Lorraine were married while he was stationed at Camp Carson in Colorado Springs. They lived in Colorado Springs for one year. They were transferred to Camp Butler in North Carolina, then Glen was shipped overseas and Lorraine returned home. Glen served with the 89th Division, 3rd Battalion, Company I, 355th Infantry in France and Germany seeing action in the “Battle of the Bulge”. Glen was awarded various medals for his distinguished service during WWII. He was honorable discharged on February 6, 1946, and returned to his wife’s family farm east of Hamlin where he joined his wife and saw his 4.5 month old son for the first time.
Glen and Lorraine purchased a farm in Union Township where they farmed for over 30 years and raised their 3 children Leon, Linnet, and Elden. In his later years of farming he also worked as a carpenter part-time for Lindholm Lumber Company in Audubon. Later this led to a full-time job at the lumber company. They sold the farm and built a home in Audubon where he and Lorraine lived for 30 years. Glen continued his carpentry until he retired. During his retirement he enjoyed woodworking and sold his wood creations at various craft fairs in Iowa. Glen and Lorraine enjoyed traveling to Texas and Arizona during the winter for several years. He retired from woodworking when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 70.
In 2006 Glen and Lorraine sold their home in Audubon and moved to an apartment in Manning. A year later, Glen fell and broke his hip entering the Manning Plaza in May of 2007. Glen resided at the Plaza where he received excellent care for the next 7.5 years due to his progression of Parkinson’s.
Glen was a lifetime member of Dale Christensen Post No. 4119, V.F.W. and Audubon Post No. 120, American Legion. He was honored with a pin for his 50 year membership. Glen was a member of the Lone Star Church in Guthrie County until it closed and then became a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon.
Glen was preceded in death by his parents, Allen and Kathryn Ditto; his sisters Hazel and Gladys and husband Vivian Cretsinger; his brother Wilbur Ditto; his brother-in-law Arnold Scott; his sister-in-law Doris Ditto; his niece Velma and husband Robert Hagman; and his nephew Vaughn Bowman.
Survivors include his wife of 71 years Lorraine Ditto of Manning, Iowa; his three children, Leon and wife Paulette Ditto of Portage, Wisconsin; Linnet and husband Robert Nissen of Manning, Iowa, and Elden Ditto of Anita, Iowa; 5 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; his sister Wilma and husband Warren Bowman of Audubon, Iowa; his brother Floyd Ditto of Audubon, Iowa; his sister-in-law Naomi Stengaard of Loveland, Colorado; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.