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Dytrt, Joseph F.
Joseph F. Dytrt, 82, of Alburnett, formerly of Forest Heights, Md., died Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. Services: 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Faith Lutheran Church, Marion, by Pastor John Albertson. The family will greet friends one hour before the service at the church. Inurnment to take place at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Catherine Andrews Dytrt; three children, Susan (Robert) Bradley of Alexandria, Va., Michael (Grace) Dytrt of Mount Airy, Md., and Stefan (Elizabeth Stewart) Dytrt of Washington, D.C.; six grandchildren, Joe, Katy and Will Bradley, Laura and James Dytrt and James Stewart; brother, Lee Dytrt of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law, Marge Andrews of Toddville; and brothers-in-law, Ken (Shirley) Andrews of Alburnett, Mike Andrews of Toddville and Edward Anderson of Toddville. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Barbara Chadima.
Joe was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on June 26, 1927, the son of Joseph and Irene Dytrt. He graduated from Wilson High School, then went on to earn his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Coe College in 1950. He attended graduate school at the University of Arizona. At age 17, Joe joined the Navy where he served as a Hospital Corpsman during World War II and the Korean conflict, receiving three Purple Hearts. He was later commissioned as an officer in the Naval Reserve in Naval Ordinance and Gunnery.
Joe worked in research and development for both Collins Radio and Penick & Ford before joining with the Federal Government in 1957. He was a technical consultant for the Naval Research Laboratory, where he worked on the first Vanguard Satellite. He transferred to the Export Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department, where he was a member of the Washington negotiating team on an international committee. Joe ended his working career with the CIA as a technical consultant.
The family would like to thank Sara Bartlett, Mercy Dialysis Center, and Dr. Charles Pruchno for their extraordinary care of Joe the past two years.
In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made to Faith Lutheran Church of Marion.
Please sign the online guest book for Joe at under obituaries.
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