Sister Mary Madeleva Ditmars

Sister Mary Madeleva "Dorothy" Ditmars entered Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth on August 14, 1947 and made final vows on August 15, 1949. She received a Bachelors Degree from Saint Mary College, Leavenworth, Kansas and a Masters Degree from DePaul University in Illinois. She also attended the University of Missouri in Kansas City, Missouri. She taught music in Montana, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska and retired from full time teaching in 1980. She worked part-time at the Business Office of Saint Mary College, Leavenworth, Kansas for many years, and was director of the Leavenworth Community Band and Orchestra for many years, based out of the Music Department of Saint Mary College. She founded the musical combo group "The Remnants" a group made up of members of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. Over a 12-year period, the Remnants musical group performed at many events in Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, and California. Highlights included an engagement on the "Here's Lucy Show" with Lucille Ball which aired in November, 1971, as well as a major participation in Bob Hope's performance at the Leavenworth, Kansas, Veterans Administration Hospital in the late 1970's. Augmented by 2 saxophones, a trombone and a second trumpet, the group performed daily for one week at the 1976 World's Fair held in Spokane, Washington. The song "Space Age Santa Claus" was written by Sisters Madeleva Ditmars under the alias "Ross Christman" and Rose Anne Colvin, both deceased.