Please see my reply w/ tulip above.  It's early AM, but I have obligations today.  Perhaps I can write more later.

Karen was always caring and kind. She showed an interest in  everything family.  She called or wrote a lovely note when staying in touch.  I hope peace is very much a part of her and our memories of Karen. I know a smile will be part of my memories.

I am missing Karen Ditman so much already.  I've known Karen for more than 12 years.  We met when we moved into the newly renovated Victory Forest [Senior Citizen ] Apartments, and we have been friends ever since.  We shared many excursions thanks to Karen's generosity, taking Victory Forest friends and VF Book Club members to events and interesting places, such as the National Arboretum, SE  D.C.. ; Strathmore Concert Hall, Kensington, MD; Phillips Collection Art Museum, D.C.; AFI film theater, Silver Spring, MD plus movies and early dinners at the Tastee Diner -- to name a few.  She and I conceived the VF Book Club, and Karen organized it and kept it running. She listened to me patiently and offered kindly advice, and we chuckled together over life's  vicissitudes.  She put up with me . Hard to write of her in the past tense.   She was a true friend and is so missed. 

I will miss her silliness, her seriousness and the good times we had together.  We were good friends and I will never forget that. She never missed calling me on my birthday and sending me a card - I will cherish the last phone call on my answering machine wishing me a happy birthday just days before she passed. We loved each other and we both knew that. We will meet again one day and, until then, be at peace and know I love you! 

Karen and I were close friends for 60+ years. We met at BJC (Baltimore Jr. College). I guess you could say we grew up together. We were roommates for about 14 years then our interests went in different directions. We always kept in touch and spoke almost daily. 
I'll always be grateful that Karen exposed me to classical music, art, opera and so many other interests. We laughed, cried, had little spats that never lasted very long. We shared family and friends. I have so many wonderful memories to remember...
I will always remember Karen for her kindness, acceptance and caring. I love Karen and wish her peace in her next life.  I will miss her...

Karen's spirit of welcome and concern was strong. An empathetic listener, she was truly interested in what you were doing and how life was treating you and your loved ones.

Karen appreciated the arts and shared her interests. Our children were gifted many classic books over the years. 

May she be blessed. Karen will be missed.   
 Denise

Even as a little girl, I remember thinking that my cousins, Robin, Blair, and Dwight were so lucky to have a very cool Aunt Karen! Through the years, Karen and I were able to connect at family gatherings and via Facebook. Karen was always so kind, friendly, and easy to talk with. She will be missed! 

Karen was one of the most generous and curious people I have ever known. Her interest spanned from opera and good food, to antiques and reading.  She was always ready to lend a hand to anyone who needed help. And she was a super book club head.  I shall miss her sense of humor and hardy laugh.  I send my sincere condolences to all of her family members, of whom she was so proud and loved so very much. 





Karen always called me her “baby cousin” because I was. I was the last of the 9 grandchildren of Lewis and Cleada Ditman. She was always, always, always the loving older cousin. She laughed at my antics as a child, she took interest in my interests as a young adult, and as I took on adulthood we always enjoyed each other’s company. The beautiful cards at birthdays and holidays, signed simply “Love, Karen” always meant so much. And as we aged, Karen worked so hard to keep us cousins together. Now that she’s gone, and we learn that today our dear cousin Jaye has now passed, everything feels so broken.  I am so blessed to have had you as a cousin, dear Karen. Your memory will always be a blessing for all in our family, and beyond.

Some things to know about Karen, my aunt…and some things I wanted her to know.
Over and over people have been sharing with me how well my aunt loved them; how she came through for them when they needed help, or the interest she showed in their lives, or the true and genuine friend she was to them.  She was all of those things to me also.  One friend told me that she shared with her all the time about her wonderful family, about my brothers and I, my children and my children’s children; even that in Karen’s eyes I had reached sainthood, which I certainly am not.  And Karen was telling me the same thing about all of you, her friends and extended family…about how wonderful you all were and your talents and achievements…always.  She had the ability to “make community” and to love well. I never had to wonder whether she loved me.  I knew.  What a gift. Continued on next page…


Karen had written down for me in the directives after she died that her favorite verses were 
Ecclesiastes 3.  This is how it reads:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.


Ecclesiastes 3 Karen’s favorite Bible verses continued:

9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. 19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?


I, Robin,  find Karen’s directive to use these bible verses at her death curious because one thing we didn’t do was talk religion.  That brings us to the thing that I would have wanted Karen to know and embrace.  Ecclesiastes says God “has put eternity into man's heart”. That is very true and we know it is because what are we all thinking as we stand mourning Karen’s loss and experiencing the permanence of death.  We want and need a hope. I believe God provides that only hope.  A friend of hers was dying and Karen had gone down to be with her. In uncharacteristic boldness I wrote her a letter which read like this:
“I wanted to thank you for being my aunt’s friend for all these years.  I’m sorry for the hard things you are facing.  The inevitability of death for all those who are human is a bitter pill indeed.  But I also hoped I could be so bold as to encourage you with a hope that does not disappoint.  The bible is one long love story of a rescue plan whereby the very Son of God enters the scene and rescues us in our darkest hour.  The plan doesn’t rely on anything we contribute to it.  It’s all on Him and He offers it to those who hear and believe.  The offer is for life from death and an eternal home, all paid for by a price He’s already paid (in His death) and topped off with the His merits credited to our account”.  


A letter to Karen's dying friend continued:

"1 John 4:10 - This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
"I’m praying for you and wishing that this hope is yours to comfort and strengthen you.  Faith doesn’t seem too popular these days but everyone has faith in something.  It’s the object of this belief that counts.  We need to pick well.  The Bible is reliable.  God presents it as a gift we just need to accept.   
Thanks again for being a good friend to my aunt. She values you as a jewel in her life."

Those were words I wrote to a friend of Karen's and I wanted Karen to know also. I want to say that to all of you also.  Thanks for being my aunt’s good family and friends.
Sincerely, 
Robin


OBITUARIO

Karen Marie Ditman

14 enero, 1944 – 28 junio, 2022

Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney Valley Inc.

Muestre su apoyo

Comparta Un Recuerdo

Comparta
Un Obituario

Obtenga actualizaciones

Servicios