Roy Charles Wittwer

Roy Charles Wittwer, 88, of Sabetha, Kansas passed away on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at the Apostolic Christian Assisted Living in Sabetha.

Roy was born on March 19, 1935, to Roy and Frieda (Herbster) Wittwer at their family home in rural Dawson, Nebraska.  He had one sibling, Helen.  Roy grew up and helped his family on the family farm.  He attended Honey Creek School from elementary through high school graduation.  

After graduation, he continued to help run the family farming and cattle operation. On January 30, 1955, Roy married Edna Mae Stastny of Pawnee City, Nebraska at the rural Zion Church, and to this union were born three children, Douglas Jeffrey, Dan Charles, and Brenda Kay.  Roy passed away on his and Edna’s 69^th wedding anniversary with Edna lovingly by his side.

Roy and Edna attended Zion Church until it closed, and then they attended the Four Mile Congregation Church in rural Humboldt, Nebraska.  Roy and Edna raised their three children in this church and made many lifelong friendships along the way.  Being part of this religious community was important to Roy, and he attended church for as long as his health would allow.

Roy proudly served in the United States Army National Guard in Sabetha for 23 years.  Roy often talked about the many friends that he trained with and served beside as they were an important part of his life.

Roy was a member of the Richardson County Rural Water Department Board, which was important to him.  He played a critical role and was instrumental in bringing water lines to rural Richardson County, Nebraska. 

In addition to farming and cattle, Roy started a custom haying business in 1966.  In 1970, his sons, Doug, 14 years old and Dan, 12 years old, joined him as he expanded the operation with a new line of Hesston Equipment.  They worked together throughout the area for local farmers until 1975 when they stopped the custom haying business.  Roy and his son, Doug, continued farming together until 1984.  

Roy then started a custom bulldozing business and was a self-taught dozer operator.  When he looked back on all that he had done in his lifetime, he said that bulldozing was his favorite.  He told his family that he loved shaping the farmlands and doing something that took care of them now, but also, improving the land for the future.  Roy retired from bulldozing at the age of 80.

Roy and Edna lived on their farm south of Dawson, Nebraska until they retired. Then, they moved to Auburn, Nebraska where they lived for several years.  While living in Auburn, they enjoyed making new friends and enjoyed their participation in the community.  Then, they moved to Sabetha and made their home at the Apostolic Christian Assisted Living apartments.  

For the last several years, they spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona.  While residing in Arizona, a good deal of Roy’s time was spent fine tuning his pool playing skills and making more friends.  It was also during this time that Roy discovered that he had some new talents.  He began carving rocks into animals and even machinery. He also polished rocks and did silversmithing to create beautiful earrings, necklaces, and rings.  He always gifted family and friends with his precious work, sharing his talents and generosity.

Roy had many talents and hobbies including motorcycling, playing pool, rock carving, jewelry making, working hard, and coffee time with his friends.  He loved meeting new people and making friends while participating in his hobbies and activities.  But his favorite thing to do was to tell jokes and make people laugh, and he didn’t care if the person he was sharing his newest joke with was a lifelong friend, someone he had just met, a stranger at a ballgame, or a family member.  He never knew a stranger and because of this, his friends are countless, and he leaves us all smiling and remembering the laughs we shared with him.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Helen (Roy) Auxier; and his oldest son, Douglas “Doug” Wittwer on January 31, 2023. 

Roy is survived by his wife, Edna; his daughter-in-law, Tammi Wittwer; his son, Dan (Janet) Wittwer; and his daughter, Brenda (Gary) Huettner; his six grandchildren, Sandon (Lindsay) Wittwer, Grayson Wittwer, Alicia (Jordan) Andrew, Nathaniel (Chelsea) Wittwer, Andrea (Landon) Bailey, and Miranda Huettner; and his 11 great-grandchildren, Tristan, Camden, Aidan, and Karson Wittwer, Reese and Winnie Andrew, Macklin and Osborne Wittwer, and Charlotte, Lennox, and Silas Bailey.  

Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 5, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the NorthRidge Church in Sabetha.  A visitation will be held on Sunday, February 4, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the NorthRidge Church.  The interment will be made in the Albany Cemetery with military honors conducted by the Sabetha VFW Post #7285.  Memorial contributions are suggested to the Apostolic Christian Assisted Living, Nemaha County Home Health & Hospice or the Four Mile Congregation Church of Humboldt, Nebraska, sent in care of the Popkess Mortuary, 823 Virginia Street, Sabetha, Kansas 66534.