Thomas Ditto of Ancramdale died on March 14. He was 80.
Born Thomas David DeWitt in New York City on Aug. 11, 1944, he changed his surname to Ditto when he married Beverly Botto, in 1994.
DeWitt was an artist and inventor. He had two films in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent and circulating collection before leaving college and his work was selected by the Whitney Museum of American Art for its centennial retrospective, “The American Century.” He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1978, and later was a fellow of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program. He also performed research on holographic optics and received funding from the National Science Foundation.
On his LinkedIn page, DeWitt described his art as characterized by high technology, starting with film and leading to video graphics, analog computers, hybrid analog/digital, digital computers, laser projectors and ultimately holography.
Ditto is survived by wife Beverly (Botto); their son David; a sister, Alice Pero; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Peggy.
The family asked that donations in Ditto’s name be made to any of the following non-profits: Collaborative Cats Inc., PO Box 88, Ancramdale, N.Y. 12503 www.collaborativecats.org;
eba inc. dance theatre company, PO Box 145, Albany, N.Y. 12201 www.eba-arts.org ;
Wave Farm transmission arts WGXC 90.7 FM PO Box 13 Acra, N.Y. 12405 www.wavefarm.org;
American Astronomical Society 1667 K St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 20006 www.aas.org; or the American Cancer Society 2678 South Road, Suite 103, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12601. www.cancer.org
A memorial service will take place at a future date and will be announced on the website of Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home www.conklinfuneralhome.com.