Barber County Kansas

The Gyp Hill Premiere, October 2, 2006.

Julius George "Duke" Ditgen

Julius George "Duke" Ditgen, 93, passed away on Sunday, October 1, 2006 at Attica. Celebration of Life services were held on Thursday, October 5, 2006 at the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Sharon with Father John Strasser officiating. Burial followed in the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery with military honors being performed by Ft. Riley. Arrangements were by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Kiowa, Kansas. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.lanmanfuneralhomes.com.

Duke was born on August 23, 1913 to John Edward and Molly (Armbruster) Ditgen in Barber County. He attended a country school and graduated from the 8th grade. On April 6, 1937 he and Rosie Dohm were united in marriage. They moved to 99 Springs where he farmed until 1940 when they moved to Kansas City to get a manufacturing job at a roofing plant.

He enlisted in the Army during WWII and served his tour of duty in Europe. He fought in the landing at Normandy on D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and the French Campaigne, returning home December of 1945 just in time for Christmas. In 1953 he and Rosie adopted Larry into their family. They lived in Kansas City until 1977 when they returned home to Sharon. He was a member of the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Sharon. Duke had gone from horseback and wagons to spaceships, and still wasn’t sure it was an improvement.

He was preceded in death by his wife, three brothers; Albert, Roman, and Alfred; four sisters Rosa Dohm, Cecilia Ricke, Teresa Ricke, and Ann Rausch.

He is survived by his son, Larry and wife, Myong of Harker Heights, Texas; two grandsons, Julius Roman Ditgen of Temple, Texas and John Edward Ditgen of Kileen, Texas; one brother Ralph and wife Margaret of Augusta, Kansas; one sister, Lucille Stevenson of Kiowa, Kansas.

Memorials may be made to the St. Boniface Catholic Church through the funeral home.


Thanks to Kevin Noland, publisher of The Gyp Hill Premiere, Medicine Lodge, Kansas, for permission to republish the above obituary from his newspaper.
http://www.gyphillpremiere.com/




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