Virginia Ernestine Yoder Ditmer
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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She was born Sept. 6, 1915, on a farm near Topeka, to Ernest and Edith Lantz Yoder. On July 10, 1955, she married Richard E. Ditmer, who died Dec. 22, 2003.
She was widely known as the “Hat Lady.” In 1937 she graduated from Manchester College with distinction and later did graduate work at Northwestern University. Named for famed opera singer Madam Ernestine Schumann-Heink, her life-long love of music was expressed when she joined the much-loved Middesingers and continued as she taught music to hundreds of elementary school students in Northern Indiana. Among them were Honeyville, Brighton, Stroh, Middlebury, Wabash and Syracuse. She retired from Wawasee Community School Corporation in 1981.
She was a member of Ligonier United Methodist Church and was founder and director for many years of the Wesley Choir at St Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Syracuse.
An avid club woman, she was a member of Gamma Lambda Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Retired Teachers’ Association, Syracuse Ladies of the Round Table, Topeka Area Historical Society and life member of Bashor Home Auxiliary and Classy Ladies Red Hatters, Syracuse. She remained active in many of these organizations even after a near-fatal automobile accident on Mother’s Day 2005. She was an enthusiastic supporter of many different sports, especially Indiana University basketball.
Surviving are a niece, Jill (and spouse Rodney) Scott, Fort Wayne; a nephew, Jerry (and spouse Teresa) Yoder, Coldwater, Mich.; great-niece, Tonya Yoder, Coldwater; a great-nephew, Matthew Yoder, Coldwater; and a cousin, Ruth Ann Richards, Ligonier. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Don Wayne Yoder and little Lamar Yoder, and a stepson, Edward P. Ditmer.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Ligonier United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jean Ness officiating. Burial will be in Eden Cemetery, Topeka, prior to the service.
Calling is from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Yeager Funeral Home, Ligonier.
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Memorials may be made to The Ligonier United Methodist Church or Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 531313, Henderson, NV 89053.
Condolences may be sent via www.yeagerfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
She was born Sept. 6, 1915, on a farm near Topeka, to Ernest and Edith Lantz Yoder. On July 10, 1955, she married Richard E. Ditmer, who died Dec. 22, 2003.
She was widely known as the “Hat Lady.” In 1937 she graduated from Manchester College with distinction and later did graduate work at Northwestern University. Named for famed opera singer Madam Ernestine Schumann-Heink, her life-long love of music was expressed when she joined the much-loved Middesingers and continued as she taught music to hundreds of elementary school students in Northern Indiana. Among them were Honeyville, Brighton, Stroh, Middlebury, Wabash and Syracuse. She retired from Wawasee Community School Corporation in 1981.
She was a member of Ligonier United Methodist Church and was founder and director for many years of the Wesley Choir at St Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Syracuse.
An avid club woman, she was a member of Gamma Lambda Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Retired Teachers’ Association, Syracuse Ladies of the Round Table, Topeka Area Historical Society and life member of Bashor Home Auxiliary and Classy Ladies Red Hatters, Syracuse. She remained active in many of these organizations even after a near-fatal automobile accident on Mother’s Day 2005. She was an enthusiastic supporter of many different sports, especially Indiana University basketball.
Surviving are a niece, Jill (and spouse Rodney) Scott, Fort Wayne; a nephew, Jerry (and spouse Teresa) Yoder, Coldwater, Mich.; great-niece, Tonya Yoder, Coldwater; a great-nephew, Matthew Yoder, Coldwater; and a cousin, Ruth Ann Richards, Ligonier. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Don Wayne Yoder and little Lamar Yoder, and a stepson, Edward P. Ditmer.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Ligonier United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jean Ness officiating. Burial will be in Eden Cemetery, Topeka, prior to the service.
Calling is from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Yeager Funeral Home, Ligonier.
*****
Memorials may be made to The Ligonier United Methodist Church or Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 531313, Henderson, NV 89053.
Condolences may be sent via www.yeagerfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
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