Clarence "Jud" Ditgen, 91, died Nov. 29, 2008, at Promise Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. He was born May 21, 1917, in rural Nickerson, the son of Joseph Clarence and Bessie Louise Stevens Ditgen. He graduated from Nickerson High School in 1936, and attended Adela Hale Business College. A lifetime resident of Hutchinson, and Reno County, he retired in 1982, as supervisor and traffic manager at Cessna.

He belonged to Trinity United Methodist Church, Ducks Unlimited, Nickerson Masonic Lodge, Bob Campbell V.F.W. Post Lysle Rishel American Legion No. 68, and was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II.

On Feb. 21, 1941, he married Beneta L. Selfridge in Sterling. She died Jan. 9, 1995. On May 24, 1997, he married Mary Alice Hobbs in Hutchinson. She survives. Other survivors include: two daughters, Judith Quade and husband, Kenneth, Appleton, Wis., and Rebecca Ditgen and husband John Shepherd, Argentina; three stepchildren, Carl and Mary Hobbs, Hutchinson, Brian and Susie Hobbs, Plano, Texas, and Susan and John Griffith, Nickerson; a brother, Earl, Hutchinson; a sister, Maxine Spare, Hutchinson; three grandchildren, Heather Ostergren and husband, John, Mary Quade and husband, Chris Harris, and Paul Quade; two great-grandchildren, Mary and Charlie Ostergren; six step-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren.

Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, at Elliott Chapel, Hutchinson, with the Rev. Pat Ault-Duell presiding. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Monday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. Burial will be in Penwell-Gabel Cemetery and Mausoleum, with military graveside rites conducted by the Fort Riley Honor Guard. Memorials may be sent to the Quivira Wildlife Refuge, or Trinity United Methodist Church, both in care of the mortuary.