Christopher "Chris" Josef Ditz

Christopher “Chris” Josef Ditz, of Boardman, passed away on December 26, 2020. He battled cancer for three years with humor, determination, and hope.
Born June 1, 1972 in Willard, Ohio, Chris was the son of Joseph and Susan (Hershiser) Ditz.
Chris was a 1990 graduate of Willard High School. He attended the University of Cincinnati where he met his loving wife, the former Amy Nordgren. Chris earned a Bachelor of Science from Ohio University in 2000. Prior to his illness, he worked as a Structural Designer at DLZ Corporation in Cuyahoga Falls. He was also previously an IT Director at TES Engineering in West Lake. Chris was a member of St. Patrick’s Church and a former member of the Boardman Community Baseball Board. For many years, Chris enjoyed volunteering his time with the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. He coached and served as a tournament director for the Buckeye PVA Cup. Chris loved computers and his newfound love of collecting Matchbox cars. He was a true family man and always looked forward to attending his children’s activities. His contagious smile and personality would light up every room. Even when Chris wasn’t feeling his best, he made sure everyone was still laughing and smiling. Chris never lost his sense of humor, his optimism or his wit.
So many will cherish Chris’s memory. None more so than his beloved wife, and best friend Amy, who he married December 17, 2005. Chris loved his son Gavin J. Ditz, and his daughter Lillian A. Ditz, his parents Joseph and Susan, brother Brian (Jennifer) Ditz, sister Shana (CJ Ousley) Ditz-Ousley, mother-in-law Carolyn Nordgren, father-in-law Ed (Tina) Nordgren, brother-in-law Benjamin Hendrickson, sister-in-law Heather Nordgren, sister-in-law Tate Nordgren, as well as his nieces, nephews, and many friends. Chris will be held close in their hearts always.
Chris could often be heard quoting Coach Jimmy Valvano, who also died after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Chris lived his last days and months by embodying the seven most important words from Coach Valvano’s 1993 ESPY speech: “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” Chris tackled cancer head-on and never once considered giving up.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday, December 30th from 12-2:00PM at Lane Funeral Home, Anstrom Chapel, 8387 Tod Ave., Boardman, Ohio 44512. A funeral service will be held immediately following at 2:00PM. For everyone’s safety, please offer your kind words to the family from a safe distance and wear a mask. Services will also be live stream at 2:00PM at lanefuneralhomes.com on Chris’s tribute wall.
In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing in Chris’s honor to the family memorial fund through Huntington Bank. Donations can be made at any Huntington Bank location or by mail: 7235 South Ave. Youngstown, OH 44512. Please reference the Amy Ditz Donation Fund.