Witt, Doris Louise (Phillips) Gruhn (1929 - 2021)

WITT, PHILLIPS, WUNDER, GRUHN, KETCHAM, STOKEY, MANN

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 12/12/2021 at 16:55:42

Doris Witt
February 26, 1929 - December 01, 2021

Obituary
Doris Louise Witt was born February 26, 1929, to Harlan and Edna Wunder Phillips at her grandmother Wunder's house in Manning, Iowa. Doris grew up on the family farm north of Aspinwall and attended Hayes #8 country school near her home. She attended Manning High School and graduated with the class of 1947.

After graduation Doris worked at Mutual of Omaha for a couple years before marrying Norman Gruhn of Manilla. They had two sons, Brian and Kenton. They lived on a farm northeast of Manilla next to the Gruhn Hybrid Corn Company. Norman passed away unexpectedly on November 26, 1963.

In 1964, Doris started working as a bookkeeper at both Justice Trucking in Botna and for Manning Implement where she met Larry Witt. They were married in 1965 at the Presbyterian Church in Manilla. Doris and Larry continued to live on the farm by Manilla. They had one daughter, Krista, to complete their family. In 1972, Larry and Doris moved to the Witt family farm southwest of Manning. This farm was purchased by Larry's grandfather in 1920. They farmed this land together and raised cows and calves. Larry passed away unexpectedly on September 3, 1986.

Doris continued to live on the farm and raised her cow and calf herd until March 2008 when two strokes slowed her down. After recovering she purchased a house in Manning and lived there until 2016 when Char-Mac Assistant Living opened. She had recently moved to Accura Healthcare of Manning.

Doris enjoyed traveling and went on many of the Friendship Club trips. She remained a farmer at heart and was still actively engaged in making business decisions about marketing grain and cattle during the 2021 harvest season. Doris was a long-term member of the Helping Hand Club, Secretary Treasurer of the Aspinwall Community Club Auxiliary for 25 years, member of the Red Hat Ladies, and a member of the Presbyterian Church in Manning.

On Wednesday, December 1, 2021, Doris passed away at Manning Regional Healthcare Center in Manning. She was 92 years, 9 months, days of age.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents; husband Norman Gruhn; husband Larry Witt; son Kenton Gruhn; brother Robert Phillips; and special friend Robert Wegner.

Survivors include her children: son Brian Gruhn of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; daughter-in-law Sandra Gruhn of Manilla; daughter Krista Ketcham and husband Michael of Lake View; 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; her sisters-in-law: Audrey Phillips of Aspinwall; Charlene Stokey and Ardith Mann of Omaha, Nebraska; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Services
Funeral Service
Ohde Funeral Home, Manning
108 First Street
Manning, IA 51455

Private services will be held early in December.

Source: Ohde Funeral Home (ohdefuneralhome.com)
Posted by Permission