Jerald E. Ditzen

My Jerry, 77 years young at heart, died in Flagstaff October 14th, our 47th anniversary!. He was born in Chicago in 1942. His family moved to Phoenix in 1952 from Glenview, Illinois. Jerry graduated from the University of Arizona and The Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management in the mid-to-late 60’s. Prior to graduate school and fresh out of college, Jerry was assistant ad manager at the Del E. Webb Corporation, promoting the Sun Cities retirement communities. Following grad school he moved to NYC to pursue an ad agency career. He did so at BBDO (Campbell Soup & Pepsi Cola) and Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample (Life Savers candy and gum). He met his future wife, Alison Eubank Ward. In the early 70’s they decided to move sight-unseen to Denver, Colorado where he worked for Downtown Denver doing advertising and promoting Denver’s central business district. After working and living there for several years they picked Phoenix as their final destination. Jerry started his own one-man ad agency in 1980 and kept the doors partially open until his death. Jerry served in the National Guard for six years. He became a devout long-distance runner, completing some 57 marathons and longer distance races of which he was very proud! Ditzen had a cynical, snarky, irreverent sense of humor (remember those Christmas card inserts?). So he created a line of greeting cards that showcased his best thinking. They are called “Ditzoids”. Jerry was predeceased by his parents, Walt and Connie, and his sister Judith Sherwood. He is survived by his wife, Alison.