Anita Tisdel

Anita Tisdel was born July 17, 1943 to Robert Fiddickow and Ursula (nee Katz) Fiddickow in Wiesbaden, Germany. She immigrated to the U.S. in September 1949 with her mother and older brother, Gernot, where her mother married her step-father, Hugh Ernst, a U.S. Army soldier she met in Germany immediately following WW II.

Anita lived and attended school in Tehachapi, California, graduating from Tehachapi High as valedictorian in June 1961. She then attended the University of California Santa Barbara, graduating with a BA in June 1965. While there, she met her future husband, Richard (Dick) Tisdel.

Anita and Dick married in Tehachapi, CA. 29 August 1965. She then proceeded to follow him throughout his 21 year Navy Career while raising two terrific daughters, Karen (KT), and Susan. Anita was an active military wife, particularly during his tour in Paris, France where she was primarily responsible for the entertainment duties of a naval attaché.

Anita and Dick settled in Springfield, VA toward the end of Dick’s Navy career and following when he worked for the Department of Defense. During this time, Anita worked for Fairfax County schools as a permanent substitute teacher and subsequently for the Hechinger Company where she was a store manager.

In Oct 2010, Anita and Dick moved to Bel Air, MD very near their daughter, Susan and her family.

Anita was an avid baseball fan attending many Orioles and Nationals games every season. However, her favorite games to attend were those played by her grandsons in little league and high school. She enjoyed reading, cooking and traveling. They made many trips to Europe together and never missed an opportunity to travel within the States to visit family near and far. She loved animals and their household was rarely absent a well-loved dog or cat (Spotty, Schatzie, Schnitzel, Dillon, Alice and Sam), but she loved the neighborhood fauna just as much.

Anita will be best known for her unending sense of humor and her fierce love for her family, particularly for her grandchildren for whom she often quipped that if she had to do it all over again, she would have grandchildren first. Her sense of humor and laughter were infectious and she had the most incredible gift of finding humor even in the most impossible situations. Anita also had a strong competitive streak. She loved a good game of cards and took pride in beating everyone at the table.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Dick, of Bel Air, MD; daughters Karen (Kevin) Butterfield of Richmond, VA and Susan (Eric) Shapiro of Bel Air, MD; grandsons, Matthew Shapiro, Scott Butterfield, Ben Butterfield; grand-daughter, Sophie Butterfield; brother Gernot Ernst of Tehachapi, CA and her brother-in-law, John Tisdel of Marana, AZ.

Interment will occur at Arlington Cemetery. Contributions can be made to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation.