Margaret Dittmar

Margaret Dittmar May 5, 1919-June 25, 2015 Margaret T. Dittmar, age 96 of La Porte, passed into her heavenly home on Thursday, June 25, at La Porte Hospital, leaving a legacy of love to her adoring family. She was born Margaret Trussa in 1919, the fourth of eight children born to parents of Slovak decent, Andrew and Mary Trussa, in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Growing up in Gary, she attended Horace Mann High School and received an associate's degree from Blackburn College. During the time she was working at the steel mills in 1947, she was introduced to a handsome red-haired man on a blind date. She later accepted Marshall W. Dittmar's proposal of matrimony and they married August 12 of 1950. The couple lived briefly in Lafayette, 5 years in Fish Lake, and for the past 58 years in Galena Township. During her working years, Margaret was a substitute teacher in both the La Porte and New Prairie school systems, as well as doing clerical work at several businesses in the area. Both Margaret and Marshall's passion had been for travel and with Margaret coordinating the itineraries, the couple traveled to all 50 states and six of the seven continents, either by "Space-A" through Marshall's military connections, by commercial air travel, or even by freighter ship. Besides traveling, Margaret also enjoyed cooking and baking, especially the Slovak recipes learned from her own mother, reading, playing pinochle with Marshall and neighbor friends, listening to classical music, mushroom hunting, gardening, fishing, and doting on her family members. She was always adopting an orphaned or injured bird or animal and nursing it back to health. It wasn't uncommon to find an egg incubating in her warm oven! She respected and sympathized with the thoughts of others and was known for her gentle and giving spirit. Strangers were quickly welcomed into the fold and made into family. Besides her husband of 64 years, Marshall Dittmar, age 100, Margaret is survived by two daughters, Marcy Dailey, (Michael) of Rolling Prairie, and Trudy Hardcastle, (Bruce) of Stafford, Virginia, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death are her son, Jonathan Alan Dittmar, and three brothers and four sisters. Visitation for Margaret will take place Tuesday, June 30 at Haverstock Funeral Home, 602 Maple Ave., La Porte beginning at 3:00 p.m. with Pastor Jay Loucks leading a memorial service at 4:30. Burial will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Margaret's honor be directed to Food for the Poor, Inc. 6401 Lyons Road, PO Box 979005, Coconut Creek, FL. 33097-9005, Good Shepherd Food Pantry, 6006 Fail Rd., La Porte, IN 46350, or the charity of your choice. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Margaret T. Dittmar please visit our Sympathy Store.