Lex Howard Witt

Like so many other of his generation, Lex Howard Witt, devoted his entire life to caring for his Nation and his Family. Born in a small cabin with dirt floors along the banks of the Arkansas River on September 3, 1924, he was the eldest child of Emory and Cleora (Cooper) Witt. As Lex grew up in those humble beginnings, he saw his mother give birth to five more children, Nelda, Betty, Ray, Bonnie and Tom. As a young boy, Lex was a central figure in the caring of his younger siblings while his parents where busy making a living for the family. In his early life, Lex and his family suffered with our country though the Great Drepression, followed quickly by the Dust Bowl Days; a difficult time along the banks of the river in Oklahoma. Because of the times, clothing, shelter and food were scarce requiring Lex at the age of eleven to leave his family, set-out on his own, and make a living for himself to leave more for the others in his family left behind. Lex, would frequently return to Cleveland to visit his family and attend whatever school he could, but his travels as a child worker took him to California where he worked as a migrant laborer, helped in soup kitchens and performed various other odd jobs. Always looking for a better job, he heard of work father North, and gradually worked his way up the Pacific coast working on farms and in logging mills. In December of 1941, the airwaves were filled with news of impending war, and then Pearl Harbor. At sixteen, Lex was too young to volunteer for the armed services, but he heard of aircraft factories in Washington needing help. Thus he made his way to Seattle where he found a job installing the turret guns in our bombers. He then moved to Portland where he was hired and trained as a welder in the shipyards in Oregon. Because he was so small, the supervisor assigned him to the job of welding in the extremely tight quarters of the ëtween decks.î He worked hard at learning all he could and made an excellent welder, assisting our Nation build and repair the Naval vessels that supported our troops in the War. When he became old enough to be accepted into the Army, he returned to Oklahoma and spent a few days with his family, then enlisted to fulfill his obligations to his Country. Lex landed in France long after D-Day, serving in Belgium and Germany as a guard for German prisoners in the mountains in December of 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. After returning from the service of his Country, Lex began a new life. He took jobs sighting the guns on the planes built in Wichita and as a welder in the oilfields of Kansas. He married his darling Thelma Marie Smith on April 9, 1947 in Sedan, Kansas and began to raise a family of his own. Working his way to better paying jobs, the Witt family ended up in Lovington, New Mexico where they raised their two sons, Ronnie and Eddie. For Lex providing all that his family needed often meant working two, or sometimes three jobs at once which he did willingly with a devotion that few will ever demonstrate. The fact that both of his sons graduated from college was two of Lexís proudest moments in his life. In 1971, Lex and Marie moved to Duncan, Oklahoma when Lex was transferred as an oilfield superintendent with Skelly Oil Company. Lex spent countless hours with Marie fishing and assisting her in the garden and canning vegetables. Later in his life, even after disease had forced Lex into early retirement, he somehow managed to continue to care for his family. With Marie suffering from diabetes and dementia, Lex continued to provide excellent care for her at the home for well over ten years; his devotion to her was unending, his care never ceased. Marie preceded him in death on October 18, 2004. Even though Lexís health conditions forced him to move to Colorado to live with his son and his family for the past six years of his life, he always expressed that he didnít want to burden them with his care. He was always concerned that he was making it harder on his family. In spite of always saying he wanted to return to Oklahoma to live alone, he repeatedly expressed how much he was enjoying being able to spend time with his three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Lex passed from this life on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 in Golden, Colorado at the age of eighty-six years. In addition to his wife, Marie he was preceded in death his parents and a son, Ronnie Witt. He is survived by his son and his wife, Lex Edward ìEddieî and Suzy Witt of Golden, Colorado; three grandchildren, Carrie Lane Gould of Arvada, Colorado, Ryan Edward Witt of Golden Colorado and Hayley Horton Riedel of Lakewood, Colorado; five great-grandchildren, Cadence Witt, Aurora Witt, Raina Witt, Sean Witt and Brendon Witt. Military honors were rendered in Colorado on Thursday, December 16, 2010. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland, Oklahoma on Monday, December 20, 2010 at 10:00 am, with Rev. David Head officiating. Burial will under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.