Jerry Lee Witt

Jerry Lee Witt, 90, of Sioux City, Iowa, formerly of Lawton, Iowa, passed away on Friday, August 11, 2023, at the Sunrise Health Center in Sioux City. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton. Rev. Robert Zellmer will officiate. Burial will follow at Banner Township Cemetery in Lawton. Visitation will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton. The family will be present from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service scheduled at 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church on Wednesday prior to the funeral service.

Jerry was born on July 5, 1933, in rural Moville, Iowa, the son of Ervin and Grace (Smith) Witt. He graduated from Moville High School in 1951. Jerry furthered his education at Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska on a football scholarship. In 1953, Jerry was drafted by the United States Army and served under the direction of the U. S. Airforce. He was stationed in Japan and assisted with the construction of aircraft runways. He attained the rank of Corporal and was honorably discharged in 1955.

Jerry returned to the Moville area and worked at various jobs until he and several friends moved to California to work for the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. After several years in California, he returned to Moville and entered a farming partnership with the Bappe family. On February 28, 1960, he married Marlene Monk at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moville, Iowa. Jerry and Marlene moved to the Lawton area in 1962. He retired from farming in 2001. For the past few years, they have resided at Sunrise Senior Living in Sioux City.

Jerry was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton. He served as a commander of the Lawton American Legion Post #718, the Lawton-Bronson School Board, and on the boards of the Plymouth County Oil Cooperative, Western Iowa Telephone Cooperative, and Lawton Community Center. He was a member of the Tri-state Antique Tractor Club and a volunteer at the Woodbury County Fair. He and Marlene also belonged to the Dancing Grandmas and Grandpas.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 63 years, Marlene Witt of Sioux City, IA; a son and his wife, Steve and Janet Witt of Lawton, IA; a daughter, Cheryl Witt of Moville, IA; and a grandson, Tamas Witt.

He was preceded in death by his parents; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Clifford and Wenona (Miille) Monk; a brother-in-law, C. Wade Monk; and a step-father-in-law, Roy L. Janssen.

Memorials may be directed to the Moville Senior Center Restoration Project.