Gary A. Dittmer was born in Knoxville, Iowa, on July 12, 1965. He was the first born son of John and Janice (Spaulding) Dittmer of Lacona, Iowa. He grew up on the farm that he lived on until his death.

Gary graduated from Southeast Warren in 1983. He received the FFA Iowa Farmer Award at the Iowa FFA Leadership Conference in Des Moines. He was proud of this award and followed up with an education in farming. After graduating, Gary attended Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo, Iowa, majoring in farm management and operations.

After college, Gary worked at South Central Coop for about three years. He left the Coop to farm in partnership with his dad and uncles. He and John formed their own partnership of J & G Dittmer Farms, LLC. Gary farmed with his dad for 30 years.

Gary enjoyed camping with family and friends, watching NASCAR and Sprint car racing. He raced his own figure 8 race car and enduro cars. His cars, all number 95, were the same number as his high school football jersey. Gary also enjoyed bowling with his friends in a league for many years and was the bowling coach for two years for SE Warren High School with his son Anthony on the team.

In high school, Gary was in the Warren County Senior 4-H program. He was a 4-H leader for many years for the White Breast 4-H Club. Anthony, Alyssa and Brandon participated in 4-H activities and showed horses, cattle and swine at the Warren County Fair. He was a Director and Treasurer of the Warren County Pork Producers for over 20 years. He enjoyed barbecuing for various businesses, organizations and at the Warren County Fair.

Gary is survived by his wife, Kim (Harvey); sons, Anthony and Brandon; daughter, Alyssa; parents, John and Janice (Spaulding) Dittmer of Milo, Iowa; brother Scott (Vicki) of Runnells, Iowa; sister Janie Weeks (Andy) of Milo; nephews, Briar, Chase and Dawson Dittmer, and Dalton Weeks; niece, Morgan Weeks (Jonathan Shaffner); parents in-law, Fred and Helen Harvey of Adams Minnesota; brother-in-law, Paul Harvey (Jolyn) of Adams; sisters-in-law, Peggy Merkel (Jake) of Spring Valley, Minnesota, and Mary Nagel (Ryan) of Stewartville, Minnesota; nephews, Cody and Gavin Merkel and Ethan and Owen Nagel; nieces, Megan and Heather Harvey. He was preceded in death by grandparents, Lester and Ina Dittmer and Eugene and Ethel Spaulding; his niece, Josie Rae Dittmer; uncles, Dwayne Spaulding and Keith Dittmer; aunts, Marilyn Spaulding and Rosemary (Spaur) Dittmer.

Funeral Services will be held at 10  a.m. Saturday, Sept.  9, 2017, at the St. Augustine Catholic Church in Milo. Interment will follow at the Rosemount Catholic Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Gary’s family.

Arrangements are being handled by Pierschbacher Funeral Homes.