Obituary of Joan Elsie (Bauermeister) Witthans
Joan Elsie Witthans (née Bauermeister) (“Joanne”) passed away peacefully in her own bed on September 27, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. She went to be with her Lord at the age of 88.
Joan was born in Lodi, California on April 23, 1932 to Reverend John Bauermeister and Elsie Bauermeister (née Ulmer).
Joan enjoyed the adventures of being a pastor’s kid. One great memory was going to Yosemite National Park each summer for two weeks, while her dad was the visiting pastor at the Yosemite Chapel.
When she was 11, her family moved to Chicago. At 16 years old, she met the love of her life, Dave Witthans. Joan graduated from Luther High School and continued schooling to earn a Teaching Degree from Winfield Lutheran College. Joan and Dave were married on snowy February day in Chicago in 1954.
Joan was a 3rd grade teacher in Michigan and Illinois, worked in department stores, a bank, then was a stay-at-home mom for many years, a Church Secretary, and lastly, an Executive Secretary at American Cancer Society and Arc. She was a proud Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Chapter President. She was also dedicated to altar guild and being a strong, consistent alto in her church choirs.
Her favorite pastimes were reading, doing crossword puzzles, and being entertained by musicals, TV shows and Barry Manilow. She loved being a wife, a mother to four children, and being a grandma. In fact, she could be called a career mother, with having a child under 18 years old for 34 years straight.
She is preceeded in death by her parents, her son John Witthans, her daughter Lisa Witthans, and sister Ruth Steinbrenner.
Joan is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, daughters Laura Witthans and Maria Winner, grandchildren Sasha and Gabe Winner, son-in-law Shawn Winner, brother Paul, and many nieces and nephews.
There will be an in-person and live-streamed memorial service at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Tigard on Saturday, October 17th. Anyone interested in joining, please email memorialforjoan@gmail.com for details. There will be a family-only interment at Willamette National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joan (Bauermeister) Witthans, please visit Tribute Store
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