H. L. (Roy) Witmer 1904-1988

WITMER, STRATTON, HARDEN

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/1/2024 at 07:21:58

23 March 1988 - The Tipton Conservative page 12

Funeral services for Horace Leroy (Roy) Witmer, 83, will be held at the United Methodist church at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 24 with Dr. Jerrold Swinton and Pastor Richard Witmer officiating. Burial will be in the Healy cemetery, north of Moscow. Pallbearers are Mark Frederick, Richard Witmer, Steve Brown, William Nehring, Douglas Phelps and Richard Anderson. Sylvia Gould is organist and Berry Glick and Lorna Muller are vocalists.

The son of William R. and Margaret Altenberndt Witmer, he was born in Rochester township near Moscow Aug. 14, 1904. He graduated from Wilton high school in 1925 and attended Iowa State University. He was married to Esther Stratton at West Branch June 6, 1931. They became the parents of 2 children, Richard and Shirley Jean.

Mr. and Mrs. Witmer farmed in Center township, 3 miles southwest of Tipton for 47 years, retiring in 1973. Roy, as he preferred to be called, was a breeder of purebred Angus cattle.

He was an active member of the United Methodist church having taught Sunday school and served on various boards and communities.

He was a longtime member and past president of the Cedar county Farm Bureau and a member of the Eastern Iowa Angus association. At the time of his death he was on the board of trustees of the Healy cemetery, north of Moscow.

In his retirement Roy enjoyed gardening, trying out new varieties and unusual plants. He also liked working with wood, doing simple woodworking projects. The Tipton Community park near their home gave him pleasure. He walked there often, noting the growth of the trees and shrubs.

His favorite spectator sport was track and he seldom missed the meets held in Tipton.

For the past 8 years Mr. and Mrs. Witmer spent their winters near McAllen where, for 4 years, they were Chamber of Commerce Amigos, a group of winter Texans who welcomed other visitors to the Rio Grande Valley, which they had come to think of as their second home.

Mr. Witmer is survived by his wife; a daughter, Jean Harden, West Des Moines; a son, Richard, Indianapolis, Ind.; 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Robert.