Donald Lynn Ditto

Donald Lynn Ditto (Don), 81, of Salem, Oregon, passed away on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Salem Hospital. Donald had sustained a brain injury about 3 years earlier, which had progressed into Parkinson’s disease. Those two conditions, plus his recently-discovered extensive heart disease, were too much for his body to continue to withstand. A Celebration of Life will be held in a few weeks. Family and friends will be notified of the details when they have been determined.

Donald was born on March 10, 1945 at the hospital in McMinnville, Oregon, to Eli and Jessie Ditto, whose home was in near-by Dayton. Don was greeted by an older half-sister, Carol, and would, in turn, greet a younger sister, Darlene, the following year. Eli passed away from pneumonia 6 weeks before Darlene’s birth.

Donald attended schools in Dayton through 8th grade. Jessie married Joseph Stewart and the couple, plus Don and Darlene, moved to Salem. Don attended Judson Junior High, South Salem High (class of 1963), and Salem Business College (later known as Chemeketa Community College), earning an Associate’s Degree in Business.

He next enlisted in the United States Navy and was posted as a Radarman to DD731 - the destroyer USS Maddox. The ship performed a long list of duties in the Western Pacific, including in waters within the territory of North Vietnam. In April of 1969, Donald Lynn Ditto was given a Certificate of Appointment and a copy of a Letter of Commendation from the Commanding Officer, which included the following: “You are commended for efforts which contributed to the success of USS MADDOX during operations against the enemy.” He was promoted to Radarman 2nd for his efforts.

In the last six months of his enlistment, Don was assigned to shore duty at the Long Beach Naval Station in Long Beach, California, and qualified for a slot in a civilian job training program. This led into a job as a Service Technician at “Monroe, the Calculator Company.” Don stayed with Monroe (later renamed “Monroe Systems for Business”) until he retired in 1998, having advanced into the position of Service Supervisor.

In 1978, Donald met Cynthia (Cindy) Lovan, who had transferred in from the San Bernardino (CA) office. They didn’t work on the same types of equipment, but did find time to spend together – enough that they married on December 15, 1979. They had been married for 46 years, 8 months, and 5 days when Don’s time on earth came to an end.

In their time together, the couple enjoyed rock hunting, boating, fishing, canoeing, wood turning, metal working, and traveling over many sections of our great country. They built a family consisting of numerous cats, dogs, and fish… until birds that had flown in to Salem from the coast discovered the fish ponds Don had built in the back yard, and invited themselves over for dinner! Other fish ponds in the area were similarly relieved of their residents.

Donald is survived by his wife, Cynthia (Cindy); his sister Carol Carter, brother-in-law Jim Suing; niece Shawn (m Dave Opel), great-nephews Adam and Cory; nephew Alan Horton, great-niece Ainsley and great-nephew Marshall; nephew John Horton (m Vicki Horton), great-niece Lynn and great-nephew Ian; brother-in-law Charles Stafford, niece Susan Stafford, great-niece Madeline Rose Loomis; and niece Christine Stafford; well over a dozen cousins, and close friends, old and new. He is also survived by his “in-laws galore” – Cindy’s siblings, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins literally from sea to shining sea.

In addition to his father, Donald is predeceased by his mother, Jessie Ditto Stewart, and sister, Darlene Ditto Stafford, who were both taken by breast cancer. He was also predeceased by his step-father, Joseph Stewart, father-in-law, Robert Lovan, mother-in-law Lorene Lovan, and brothers-in-law Daniel Lovan and Harry Carter.

Donald Lynn Ditto was – and is – special to us all. We look forward to seeing him again.