Ditch, Jeff

Jeff Ditch, 63, died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, from an aneurysm.

Jeffrey Jerald Ditch was born Jan. 11, 1950, in Anamosa, Iowa, the son of Ralph E. and Florence (Kehoe) Ditch. Jeff and Phyllis Schippers were married Feb. 12, 1994, in Las Vegas, Nev.

Funeral services for Jeff will be held Tuesday morning, Feb. 26, at 11 o'clock at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Anamosa, with interment in the Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 until 8 p.m. Monday at Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa.

Surviving are his wife, Phyllis; two daughters, Jenni (Derek) Harksen, Rock, Island, Ill., and Angie Van Dyke, Dubuque; a brother, Arnie Ditch, Monticello; two sisters, Judy (Clete) Keating, Iowa City, and Connie Meade, Anamosa; a sister-in-law, JoAnn Ditch, Arlington, Texas; his cats, Bert and Squiggy; and all his many nieces, nephews, great- and great-great- nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Terry; and a sister-in-law, Donna Rose Ditch.

Jeff graduated from the Anamosa Community Schools with the class of 1968. While in high school Jeff was part of the 1966-1967 Anamosa basketball teams. He went on to attend Northeast Missouri State College in Kirksville. In the summers he worked at the Stone City Stone Quarry. For many years Jeff was employed by Kirkwood Community College as librarian at the Iowa Men's Reformatory. He retired from that position in 2001. Jeff then went to work in food service at Anamosa Community Schools. He enjoyed working with the other lunch ladies and the kids and missed that after he retired in 2012.

Other than his family Jeff's great passion in life was golf. He was a member of both Fawn Creek and Wapsi country clubs. He was fortunate enough to have a near perfect golf swing like Fred Couples. Jeff and his brother, Arnie, realized a life long dream and played Pebble Beach in October 2012. You would often see Jeff driving his street legal Hawkeye Golf Cart on the way to the course or just around town. He had a unique talent for being able to pick up 10 quarters at one time with just his finger tips. Jeff also enjoyed 1950s and ‘60s black and white TV programs, especially Andy Griffith; reading any newspaper, solving number or word puzzles, yard work and gardening and cooking, especially “Stirring the Pot.” He was a friend to all. His favorite saying was, “Just One More.”

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Camp Courageous or your choice.

Published Feb. 25, 2013 in The Gazette