BOGALUSA, La. — A celebration of the Mass of Christian burial for Edward Brewster Dittmer, 93, who died Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, were 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010, at Annunciation Catholic Church.

Burial followed at Ponemah Cemetery under the direction of Poole-Ritchie Funeral Home in Bogalusa, La.

Mr. Dittmer was born in 1917, in Bogalusa, the son of Sidney Lawrence Dittmer and Marguerite Emelia Brewster Dittmer. He attended Bogalusa High School and Louisiana State University.

As a teenager, Mr. Dittmer especially enjoyed spending time outdoors with his Scout Cavalry troop led by Sgt. Oliver Hartford. The troop, associated with the 108th Cavalry Unit Louisiana National Guard, practiced and perfected riding maneuvers on horseback. At LSU, he was a member of the Theta Xi fraternity and the Scabbard and Blade of the LSU Cadet Corps. He graduated from LSU in 1938.

In World War II, Mr. Dittmer served as captain in the 82nd Airborne, 155th Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion. Capt. Dittmer fought in the Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, Central Europe, Ardennes and Rhineland battles. After meritorious service in the European, African and Middle Eastern campaigns, he was awarded six bronze stars.

After the war, he returned home and married Myrtle Mae Engerran in 1946. He worked at the Bogalusa paper mill his entire career, retiring in 1980 as supervisor of employee benefits. After Myrt died in 1993, he married Mary Strain in 1996, and their combined families include 10 children and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was active in civic affairs, including the Kiwanis Club and the American Legion. He served as president of Zellco Credit Union for 25 years. He was active in Annunciation Catholic Church, serving on the finance committee, as Eucharistic minister and as Lector for a number of years. He was a 4th degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Order of St. Louis.

Mr. Dittmer had a number of interests over this long lifetime. He loved to read and had a prodigious vocabulary. His knowledge of historical and literary fact was encyclopedic. He wrote poetry and enjoyed photography as a hobby. He was the epitome of sartorial elegance. He will be sadly missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his only sister, Dottie Dittmer Goss and her husband, Jay Goss.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Ted Dittmer and wife, Dawn Amacker and Larry Dittmer; three daughters, Debbie Vial and husband, David, Dottie Kenda and husband, John, and Dona Muscarello and husband, Frank; eight grandchildren, Sasha Dittmer, David Vial and wife, Donna Schmidt Vial, Jenna Bellina and husband, Brad, Colin Privette and wife, Shonti, John Paul Kenda III, Claire Kenda, Marc and Gina Muscarello; one niece, Janis Goss Leikam and husband, Wayne; one nephew, John Goss and wife, Genevieve; and a number of other relatives.

Pallbearers were David Vial II, Colin Vial, John Paul Kenda III, Brad Bellina, Barry Marx and Jimmy Strain.