County auditor well remembered 30 years after term
By CHRIS BARBEE cbarbee@leader-news.com

DITTERT

Andrew Dittert, who served as Wharton County auditor for 31 years, died Nov. 30 at the age of 96.

Someone asked this week, "Since he was 96, who would still remember him?"

"Lots of people," was the reply.

Anyone who worked in county government during his 31 years (1946-1977) keeping Wharton County's finances straight knew Mr. Dittert, and those who came later knew him by reputation and appreciated the system he put into place for this county.

Others knew him for his work with the El Campo Masonic Lodge, and other Masonic bodies such as Eastern Star, Chapter and Council of the York Rite, DeMolay and Rainbow. Scores of candidates for the fraternal order of Masons received their instruction from Mr. Dittert sitting in a well-worn chair in a bed- room of his house on Alvin Street.

Another passion of Mr. Dittert's was his love of Christ as expressed through his service and commitment to First United Methodist Church. He and Thelma anchored the choir for some 60 years, and his financial prowess and keen eye as treasurer helped the church stay on solid financial ground.

He also served FUMC as member and chairman of the official board and he taught an adult Sunday School class for 50 years. He also joined with others in singing for residents at Garden Villa Nursing Home for many years.

The El Campo Rotary Club was another love of Mr. Dittert's. He served as a club president, and after retiring as county auditor became the club's first "full-time" treasurer, a job he held until his health forced him to resign that position. As attended Rotary as long as he was physically able.

With Japan and Nazi Germany striving for world domination, Mr. Dittert served in the U.S. Army from 1941-1945. Because he could type he served as a clerk-typist at Foster Field in Victoria during the war.

Mr. Dittert moved to El Campo at the age of 23, five years after graduating as valedictorian of an 11-student senior class at Sealy High School. In 1938 he met the woman he would marry about a month later, Thelma Cockerell, an El Campo school teacher. At the time of Mrs. Dittert's death in 2001, they had been married 63 years. "Yes, I believe in love at first sight," he would said.

Asked several years ago by this writer what the secret to his long and healthy marriage was, Mr. Dittert said, "We kiss each other good night every night before going to sleep."

Mr. and Mrs. Dittert are survived by their daughter, Linda Kay Mason of Houston; granddaughters, Shannon O'Neill of Katy and Allison Willoughby of Katy; and two great-grandchildren, Andrew and Peyton Willoughby.

They were preceded in death by a son, Andrew Dittert Jr., and grandson, Stephen Davis O'Neill.

Funeral services are today at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, with burial to follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Memorials in memory of Andrew Dittert may be made to the Memorial Fund of the First United Methodist Church, 1001 Ave. I, El Campo, Texas 77437, or to Hospice Support Care, P.O. Box 1417, El Campo, Texas 77437, or to a charity of choice.