Elizabeth Ann Dittmar

 It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved mother Elizabeth “Libby” Hammett Dittmar. Mom passed peacefully in her sleep on June 11th, 2024 after a very long and truly herculean struggle with multiple health issues. Time and time again she came back from the brink to defy the odds and the doctors’ prognosis. Of course to those of us who knew her this would come as no surprise as she was truly a natural born fighter, defined by strength, commitment and raw determination. At 82 Elizabeth was the first person to arrive at the office every morning at DeWind Lock in Oakland Park, Florida, a business which she ran for 50 years. She truly loved her employees and her customers and the personal relationships she developed with them over the years. Truth be told, she also loved being the boss and being in charge and took great pride in the fruits of her labor. She loved her community and the people in it and always believed it was a privilege to serve them. She was generous and giving and quick to point out that her commitment to the service of others always gave her back far more than she should could ever repay. She was very active as a Cub Scout den mother and a fixture in the Floranada Baseball League for twenty years.  Growing up the doors to our house, and refrigerator, were always open to every kid in the neighborhood. She loved that our house was the house where the kids came and she loved watching them grow up and staying in touch with them over the years. Elizabeth spent 50 years as member of Quota, an international women’s service organization which provided basic needs to women, children, the deaf, and hard of hearing in communities around the world. The organization’s motto, was “We Share” as its members sought to share their talents and abilities to help people in need. In her capacity as a Quotarian Elizabeth was able to travel the country and see many parts of the world. She met actors, governors and presidents and many more interesting and inspirational people. She cherished her Quota family and the work they did together. She counted the life-long friendships she developed with the many talented and strong women with whom she worked as one of her greatest blessings. Of course, there was never any question as to what mom felt was her greatest blessing as she was quick to share this with anyone, anywhere at any time- her family. Elizabeth was the third of eleven children born in 1941 to Dolph and Virgie Hammett in the small community of Lexington in Holmes . 

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, July 13, 

2024 at the First Christian Church of Wilton Manors 

from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm. 

County, Mississippi. As her oldest brother Harold was fond of saying, they grew up in God’s country on a farm in the hills on the edge of the Delta. She never dwelled on any hardships that she endured or the hard work they all did while she was growing up in Lexington. Instead she would recount the days of her youth in terms of the wonderful experiences she shared with her family and the opportunities provided by the community in which she lived. She had a bond with her siblings that was both enduring and inspiring. Many of her last words and certainly most of her last thoughts were about her mother and father, brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren. She loved her family dearly. It was an honor and privilege to call the strongest women we ever knew mom and there are no words to express how much we are going to miss her.