Carl Didde, 98, Founded Equipment Manufacturer

EMPORIA, KS—Carl Didde, a former publisher who would later start a company that specialized in manufacturing printing equipment, died April 21 at the age of 98, The Del Norte Prospector reported.

Mr. Didde started the Didde Publishing Company in 1946 to print and publish sermon books by Msgr. Arthur Tonne. As his career progressed, Didde-Glaser, which became Didde Graphic Systems and Didde Corporation, manufactured printing equipment which was sold worldwide. The firm employed more than 1,000 people at its height.

His obituary stated that Mr. Didde had a fascination with the printing and book binding business, and in fact received a patent at the age of 94 for a binding method he'd invented. He received the Soderstrom Award for lifetime achievement in 1994.

He is survived by three children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.