Inez Witte

Inez Witte, age 87, of Canton, Ohio, formerly of Early, Iowa, died Thursday, September 18, 2003 at the Windsor Medical Center in Canton.

Funeral Services will be Thursday, September 25, 2003 at 2:30 PM at the United Methodist Church in Early with Reverend Karl Schiltz officiating. Burial will be in the Schaller Cemetery in Schaller.

Visitation will be just prior to the funeral services on Thursday, from 1:00 – 2:30 at the church. The Farber and Otteman Funeral Home in Sac City is in charge of the arrangements.

Inez J. Wedge was born in Cherokee County, Iowa on March 24, 1916, to Cecil and Cynthia (Wilcoxon) Wedge. She spent her early years living with her parents in rural Cherokee County. She later attended grade school in Larrabee, Iowa and then graduated from high school at Ida Grove, Iowa. At age 15, Inez was the Ida County 4-H Health Champ.

Inez was united in marriage with Roy H. Witte on August 17, 1937 at her home in Ida Grove. Their union was blessed with one son and three daughters. After their marriage, Roy and Inez lived at Slayton, MN for five years before moving to Schaller in 1944 and then on to Early in 1952. In 1978, they moved to Arkansas. Inez was a member of the United Methodist Church in Early and belonged to the United Methodist Women. She also belonged to a garden club, and along with her husband, a card club.

Inez spent some time working in the drugstore at Ida Grove and at the local telephone company, before her marriage. Then, as a loving wife and devoted mother, her husband and children came first in her life. She spent many years as a homemaker creating a loving, stable home life for her beloved family. She especially liked to bake homemade bread for her family to enjoy.

In her spare moments, Inez enjoyed knitting. After Roy’s death, she spent time volunteering at the Bates Hospital in Bentonville, for the American Cancer Society and served as treasurer of a local AARP chapter in Bentonville.

Inez cherished the time she spent with her grandchildren, and when her grandchildren became old enough, they all enjoyed testing their skills together in a game of Scrabble.

Inez loved to travel. It didn’t matter to her where the car was going, as long as she was in it! She especially liked to recall cherished memories of touring Europe during a trip there in 1986.

Inez was loved by her family and friends and will be missed.

Inez is survived by one son, Dwight and wife Judy Witte of Canton, and three daughters, Marilyn Rice of Des Moines, Judy Nunez of San Diego, CA and Gayle and husband Dan Higbee of Mays Landing, NJ; eleven grandchildren: Lori, Tony and Todd Rice, Lisa Mauro, Pam Negri, Jeff Witte, Kris Pippolo, Joel Higbee, Gwen Plut, Justin Nunez and Jamie Fiore; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; one sister Alta Rose and husband Don Nystedt of Cibolo, Texas; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and one sister, Lila Mae Rongstad.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association, 4815 Munson Ave NW, Canton, OH 44718 in honor of Inez Witte.