Harold Dittes

Funeral services for Harold Dittes will be held on Friday, March 28, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Catholic Church in Ortonville. Fr. Zack Peterson will officiate. Burial will be at St. Charles Cemetery in Big Stone City, SD.

Visitation will be at the Mundwiler & Larson Funeral Home in Ortonville on Thursday, March 27, from 6 to 7 p.m. prayer service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Harold Friedrich Dittes was born to Henry and Mathilda (Kamin) Dittes on December 6, 1926, in Ortonville, Minnesota. Attending school in Ortonville, Harold was drafted into the United States Army and served for two years. Upon his honorable discharge he entered Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, Illinois. After graduation he returned to Ortonville.

On September 28, 1948, Harold was united in marriage with Rosella Van Erem in St. Charles Catholic Church in Big Stone City, South Dakota. To this union one daughter was born. After living in several other communities, the family returned to make their home in Ortonville in 1956. Harold made his living as an electrician.

Harold was a member of St. John's Catholic Church. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and doing puzzles. Harold traveled to Alaska and Greenland in his travels. He and Rosella liked to travel and had visited Italy, the Holy Land, and Medjugorje, in western Bosnia.

Harold died on March 22, 2014, at St. William's Care Center in Milbank, South Dakota, having reached the age of 87 years.

Cherishing his memory are his wife Rosella of Milbank, SD; daughter Brenda Novak of Papillion, NE; granddaughter Kristin (Ken) Bylsma of Lombard, IL; great-granddaughter Kaitlyn; brother Herbert (Lois) Dittes of Willmar, MN; and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents; brother Ralph (Ruth) Dittes; and sister Phyllis (Calvin) Arneson.