Marie Elaine (Lentz) WITCHER

LENTZ, WITCHER, ARMSTRONG, OSTERKAMP, HOLM

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:56

September 19, 1950 ---- December 8, 1978

Maria Elainia Witcher, daughter of Wilbur and Vivian Armstrong Lentz, was born September 19, 1950, at Cedar Rapids, Ia. She was educated at Cedar Rapids, Clear Lake and other communities. On November 12, 1966, she was united in marriage with James Witcher at Waterloo. They lived in various communities before Cedar Falls, from which they moved to Goldfield in October, 1978. Maria was working at Meredith Publishing Company at Clarion at the time of her death.

Maria died Friday, December 8, 1978, in an automobile accident.

Preceding her in death was one brother, Wilbur D. Lentz. Survivors include her husband; one son, Jimmy, and two daughters: Sherry and Susan, each still at home; her parents; one brother, Willard Dean Lentz of Goldfield; three sisters: Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Dennis) Osterkamp, Denver, Colo.; Mrs. Robin Holm, Goldfield; and Rose Marie June Lentz, Goldfield; her paternal grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Lentz of Fort Dodge and her maternal step-grandmother, Mrs. Verna Armstrong, Newton, Ia.

Funeral services were held Thursday, Dec. 14, 1978, 2 p.m. at the Kastler - Babcock - DeYoung Funeral Home in Eagle Grove. Dr. Lloyd Meyer officiated and burial was at Glenwood Cemetery, Goldfield.

Eagle Grove Eagle -- Eagle Grove, Iowa
December 20, 1978

***
At about 10 p.m. Friday Maria E. Witcher, 28, of Goldfield was killed and her husband, James, 35, injured when the car James was driving crashed into the rear of a semi truck and trailer parked on the road six miles south and two west of Eagle Grove. James was taken by ambulance to a Fort Dodge hospital and then transferred to University Hospitals in Iowa City where he was listed in fair condition Monday. The Witcher car, a late model Ford, was described as a total loss. The Iowa Highway Patrol report said the westbound truck operated by Dennis C. Lukert of Lincoln, Neb. had stopped on the traveled portion of the C-56 blacktop because of mechanical problems with the
tractor.

Mrs. Witcher was pronounced dead at the scene by the Wright County medical examiner. Because of difficulty in contacting relatives, her name was not released by investigating officers until Monday.

Services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Kastler-Babcock-DeYoung Funeral Home, with burial at Glenwood Cemetery in Goldfield.

Survivors include her husband, James, son Jim, daughters, Susan and Sherry, and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Lentz, Goldfield.

Eagle Grove Eagle -- Eagle Grove, Iowa
December 13, 1978