Angela "Ange" Veronica Wittman, a life-long Colton and Uniontown resident, passed away Friday, September 23, 2016 at the Life Care Center of Lewiston at the age of 101. A mother, educator and farmer, Ange's life witnessed an incredible century of history and change.
Ange was born on December 18, 1914 to Tony and Mary B. (Druffel) Reisenauer in East Helena, Montana. In 1918, her family moved back to the Colton/Uniontown area to farm. She attended the Oenning School, a one-room schoolhouse, through elementary grades and would occasionally transfer to the Colton Catholic Grade School for religious instructions. She graduated from Colton High School in 1933, and then attended Holy Names College in Spokane where she received degrees in English and Education in 1936. She returned to Colton/Uniontown area for her first teaching job at the Oenning School. When the Oenning School closed, Ange taught two years at White Bluff, a small town in south central Washington. When the town was bulldozed to make way for the Hanford nuclear project, Ange's teaching position was eliminated. She then taught at Republic, Davenport and Pullman before marrying Edward "Ed" Wittman of Uniontown on October 20, 1945. Together, they had five children and farmed the Wittman family farm outside of Uniontown. In 1960, Ed died, and a year later, she moved her family to Colton. Ange returned to teaching at St. Galls Catholic Grade School and then Colton Public Grade School, where she also served as the Principal for several years before retiring in 1974. Demonstrating her lifelong passion for learning, Ange continued as a volunteer educator, spending her retirement tutoring many children in the Colton and Uniontown area. In 2012, she moved to Lewiston.
Ange was a dedicated mother, raising five children on her own after the death of her husband, while maintaining a full-time teaching job. She loved learning and education, and was one of the first women to attend summer classes at Gonzaga University in the 1930's. She continued to strengthen her teaching credentials by attending summer classes at Washington State University and University of Idaho throughout the 1960s. Even in retirement, Ange surrounded herself with books about history, politics and biographies, and was known to read several books at the same time. Ange was a faithful and active member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, St. Gall Catholic Church, the Catholic Daughters and Altar Society. In all things, she taught her family a great deal about responsibility, grace, faith, perseverance and hard work, and she will be missed.
Ange is survived by her five children: Roberta "Jo" (Ted) Reisenauer of Spokane, Ann Marie "Mimi" (Wade) Hillman of Lewiston, Nicholas Wittman of Uniontown, John F. Wittman of Genesee, and Mary Kay (Tony) Anegon of Lewiston; 10 grandchildren: Sarah Reisenauer, Rachel Reisenauer, Nicole Stewart, John Hillman, Kate Hillman, Brian Semler, Erin Wittman, Meghan Wittman, Edward Anegon and Angela Anegon; 8 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters, Virginia Miller of Beavercreek, OR and Jan Kramer of Colton as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Ray Reisenauer and Jerome Reisenauer, and a sister, Rita Grassl.
The family will greet family and friends at a viewing at 6:30 pm followed by the Rosary service at 7 pm at Kimball Funeral Home on September 30.
Funeral Mass will be October 1 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Uniontown at 11 am followed by burial at St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts be made to St. Boniface Catholic Church – Edward and Angela Wittman Endowment Fund (P.O. Box 108, Uniontown, WA 99179) or Guardian Angel St. Boniface Catholic School (306 Steptoe St., Colton, WA 99113). Kimball Funeral Home of Pullman is caring for the family. On-line guest book is at www.kimballfh.com