Lolita Ditzler

Lolita E. Ditzler, passed away on her 89th birthday, September 4, 2026, surrounded by her family. Lolita was born on September 4, 1937, to Alex and Edith (Visger) Tschabold.
Lolita grew up on a small farm near Durand, IL, and graduated from Durand High School in 1955.
She met Ken Ditzler as a teenager and they shared their first date on a ferris wheel. In 2021, Lolita published The View from a Midwest Ferris Wheel: A Memoir, which details her 7-year courtship with Ken. The two wed on April 17, 1959, and enjoyed 67 years together.
They had three children: Linda, Lisa, and Kurt. Lolita dedicated her life to her family and was able to care for her oldest daughter, who was developmentally different, until her death in 2008 from breast cancer. Lolita also cared for her mother, which allowed her to live in her home until she passed at the age of 90.
As she often bragged, Lolita was the proud matriarch of a law enforcement family. Her husband and son retired from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, her daughter retired from the Illinois State Police, her granddaughter is an Assistant State's Attorney with the Winnebago County State's Attorney's Office, and her grandson is a patrol officer with the Rockford Police Department.
Lolita began her writing career as a correspondent for the Rockford Morning Star in the 1970s. In addition to publishing her memoir, Lolita earned many awards for her writing. She was a longtime member of the Illinois Woman's Press Association and the National Federation of Press Women. Her essay, "Life With Linda," received a first in the IWPA 2017 contest and the NFPW contest. She also maintained a weekly blog that has over 350 posts. Lolita loved to read and was never without a book. Lolita also served as the Durand Township Clerk for over 40 years.
Throughout her long life, Lolita overcame several serious illnesses. She had tuberculosis as a teenager and lived in a sanitarium for months while battling the illness. She lived longer with one lung than she did with two, as she was infected with histoplasmosis in her 40s and she had a lung removed.
Lolita was preceded in death by her parents; her two infant brothers; her daughter, Linda; her sister-in-law, Lola Mae Gaffney; and many cherished relatives and friends. Lolita is survived by her husband, Ken; her daughter, Lisa; her son, Kurt (Sandy); her grandchildren, Katelyn (Sean) and Jacob; and her brother-in-law Tom (Jan) Ditzler.
Visitation will be held Thursday, September 10, 2026, 10:00 am to 11:50 am with a funeral ceremony to follow at 12:00 pm at Trinity Lutheran Church (15585 Durand Rd, Durand, IL). Burial will follow in the Laona Township Cemetery (14782 Yale Bridge Rd, Durand, IL). Memorial contributions will be made to the Durand Fire Department. Her family would like to thank Durand Fire Department and Ambulance personnel, the staff at Monroe Clinic Hospital, and Monroe Clinic Hospice for the exceptional care Lolita received.