Obituary

Grace was born on November 24, 1917 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to Carl and Laura Giesler. She was one of seven siblings. After graduation from Green Bay East High School, she immediately began working at Wisconsin Public Service in order to help support the family.

She felt the Lord calling her to mission work and happened to meet a young missionary from Alaska, the Rev. James Dittmer, at church camp. After a long distance courtship, they were married July 20, 1940. They had four children: Peg, Jim Jr., Jean and Fred.

She served many congregations in Alaska faithfully, along with her husband, for seventeen years until he was diagnosed with cancer. After treatment at Mayo Clinic they took a year for him to recuperate and then the couple was able to serve congregations in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. While in Minnesota she worked in Finance and Payroll at Waconia Ridgeview Hospital and again after her husband retired.

After the Lord called her husband to his eternal reward, she lived with family members in Minnesota, California and Washington State. Her last five years were spent at Christian Health Care Center in Lynden Washington. She was called into the immediate presence of our Lord on September 10, 2017 at the age of 99 years 9 months and 17 days.

She is survived by two siblings, John (Barbara) Giesler, and Ann LaFortune; Children, Peg (Robert) Smith, James (Margie) Dittmer Jr., and Jean Whittaker; Grandchildren, Brenda Martinez, David Smith, Emily (Jon) Terres, Anthony (Emily) Dittmer, Amanda (Brett) Wright and seven great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four siblings, her husband James, her son Fred and one great grandchild.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Waconia Moravian Church, Waconia, MN at 3:00 pm, October 1, with burial at the Zoar Moravian Cemetery. Visitation at 2:00 pm.