Warren Gordon Wittmer

Warren Gordon Wittmer died at age 93 on January 18, 2016, at Glenaire Retirement Center in Cary, North Carolina, where he had lived with his wife, Mary Inez Spears Wittmer, until her death on November 28, 2011. Born May 22, 1922, in Union City, New Jersey, Warren was the youngest of two children of the late Joseph Walter Wittmer and Minnie Charlotte Jacobs Wittmer. Warren’s ancestors immigrated to New York City from Germany in the 1800’s, and Warren was proud of both his German and his New York heritage. He enlisted in the US Army on his 18th birthday, where he served as a weather forecaster for the US Army Air Corps. He met his wife, Mary, while he was stationed at Fort Bragg during the early 1940’s. He subsequently spent two and a half years stationed in India, where he forecast the weather for military planes in the China Burma India Theater. Warren and Mary wrote each other daily during the 30 months that Warren was overseas, and they married immediately upon his return from service. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on November 11, 2011.

Following his military service, Warren became a Junior Claims Examiner with the Employment Security Commission in Raleigh in 1946. By the time of his retirement in 1983, Warren had risen to the position of Unemployment Insurance Director for North Carolina, where he was respected for the depth of his understanding of the agency to which he had dedicated over 37 years of his working life.

In all aspects of his life, Warren was known for his unwavering honesty, integrity, and humility. Although he wished he could have attended college and taught history, he was well read and as knowledgeable about history as any college graduate. He was open to new ideas and respectful of the opinions of others, and he treated everyone he met with decency. A life-long Episcopalian, he served for many years as a Sunday School teacher, vestry member, layreader, and chalicist at The Church of the Good Shepherd in Raleigh.

Warren was an exemplary husband and father, whose love for his family was unsurpassed. Nothing brought him more pleasure than being with Mary, or playing with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He taught his family the value of honesty, the avoidance of prejudice, and the importance of fairness. He was diligent in the time he spent with Mary during the course of her Alzheimer’s disease, and deeply missed her presence in his life after her death.

Warren was blessed with good health and an active mind until he fell and broke his leg shortly before Christmas. He enjoyed a wonderful holiday with family before his health began to rapidly deteriorate in January.

Warren is survived by his two daughters, Laura Wittmer Wyatt and Cynthia Leigh Wittmer, both of Raleigh; two sons-in-law, Robert J. Wyatt III and John L. Sarratt; six grandchildren, Cynthia Wyatt Baggett, Robert J. Wyatt IV, Joncie Kimball Wittmer Sarratt, William Alexander Wittmer Sarratt, Wendy Elizabeth Sarratt, and Robin Elaine Sarratt; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, William Allen Wittmer. His only surviving cousin and good friend, Evelyn Brandt, was born the same year as Warren and currently lives in Long Beach, California.

Funeral services will be held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Raleigh at 11:00 am on Wednesday January 27, with the reception following in the Shepherds Hall.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Warren to the Glenaire Foundation, 4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary, NC 27511.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh.