He enjoyed BBQing for various businesses, organizations and at the Warren County Fair. He was a Director and Treasurer of the Warren County Pork Producers for over 20 years. Anthony, Alyssa and Brandon participated in 4-H activities and showed horses, cattle and swine at the Warren County Fair. He was a 4-H leader for many years for the White Breast 4-H Club. In high school, Gary was in the Warren County Senior 4-H program. Gary also enjoyed bowling with his friends in a league for many years and was the bowling coach for 2 years for SE Warren High School with his son Anthony on the team.
His cars, all number 95, were the same number as his high school football jersey. He raced his own figure 8 racecar and enduro cars. Gary enjoyed camping with family and friends, watching NASCAR and Sprint car racing. He and John formed their own partnership of J & G Dittmer Farms, LLC. He left the Coop to farm in partnership with his dad and uncles. After graduating, Gary attended Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo Iowa majoring in farm management and operations.Īfter college, Gary worked at South Central Coop for about 3 years. He was proud of this award and followed up with an education in farming. He received the FFA Iowa Farmer Award at the Iowa FFA Leadership Conference in Des Moines.
Gary graduated from Southeast Warren in 1983. He grew up on the farm that he lived on until his death, August 27, 2017. He was the first born son of John and Janice (Spaulding) Dittmer of Lacona, Iowa. Gary Allen Dittmer was born in Knoxville, Iowa on July 12, 1965.