MILDA PLATT DITTMER 1/31/1924 – 3/14/2019 Milda Ruth (Klemm) Platt Dittmer was born January 31, 1924 to hardworking German parents, Ida and John Klemm of Lane, South Dakota. On the farm the family used music to soften the hard times of the Depression. Milda was born with a love of the pipe organ.
While other kids played, she would run home from school to hear the Little Orphan Annie theme song on the radio–on a pipe organ! After high school Milda attended Aberdeen Teachers College in SD and then taught school in SD, WY & MN. During WWII she worked in a Minneapolis factory making submarine periscope lenses.
Later she attended Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, SD. and at a dance in Deadwood met her future husband, Howard Rusty Platt, a veteran of WWII’s Okinawa campaign. Milda and Howard were married on New Year’s Eve, 1949.
They lived in Rapid City & Aberdeen, SD and Fargo, ND, where they raised 3 children. Milda was a supermom, insisting on family dinners together while juggling music clubs, church jobs as organist & children’s choir director at Messiah Lutheran, volunteering at a crisis hotline, hostessing at a dinner club and substitute teaching! There was always a project happening in the household and a concert or recital on the horizon.
Milda returned to college & completed her Bachelor’s degree in 1970. In summers Milda and Howard farmed a 120 acre “hobby”farm in neighboring Minnesota, restoring the large farmhouse, growing crops, produce & flowers, and entertaining visitors with campfires and horse rides along the lake. Milda and Howard retired in 1976 and traveled the West seeking the perfect retirement place.
They found Roseburg, OR, where Milda was active in PEO, board member and alto in the Concert Chorale, pipe organist at First Christian Church for 25 years, volunteer at SPCA and local cat rescuer, caring for countless homeless animals. Howard died in 1991. Milda married Frank Dittmer of Hemet, CA in 1997.
He died in 2005. Milda will be remembered by her many friends as the consummate networker for all-things-musical. She kept up with events in the community and promoted these events, calling friends to make sure no one missed anything, and making cassette recordings to share with those who did.
She exclaimed many times how great it was to live in a small community so rich in musical opportunities and talent. from Cheryl: Mom, you were the most interesting, creative person ever! You had best-friends half your age!
You were colorful and full of grace! You didn’t allow me to judge; you were a true Christian, living your life in active Loving. You noticed every leaf, bird and blossom!
With each joyful experience, your first thought was to share it with others! You were a force of nature, you did “wild” with class! You were baptized in the River Jordan!
What a gift to have you as my mother! And THANK YOU to kind caregivers Alison, Brittany and Tim who understood Mom, relished her dry sense of humor & were there for her every step of the way: laughing, loving and crying with her during that last year in Eugene. Milda is survived by sister Elsie of Phoenix, AZ; daughter Cheryl of Eugene; son Bryan and wife Val of Medford; daughter Melody of Los Angeles; grandson Josh and wife Jen of Medford; granddaughter Tessa and husband Andrew of Tucson; granddaughter Emily and husband Ryan of Medford; and 7 great grandchildren & many loving nieces and nephews.
Her parents and her siblings, Paul, Arlene, Inez and LuElla preceded her in death. Please sign the guestbook here and share your memories of Milda! Memorial gifts gratefully received at Umpqua Humane Society, umpquavalleyhumanesociety.org/donations.
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