Alfreda (Penny) DeWitt

Affectionately known as Penny by family and friends, departed this earthly life into the heavenly one on December 24, 2016. Penny was born on August 8, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Silvio and Marianna Marchioni Pivirotto. Alfreda, along with her siblings Augusta Anne and Silvio William (who are predeceased), received baptism, communion, and confirmation at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Philadelphia. In 1947 she graduated from John W. Hallahan Catholic High School in Philadelphia.

Alfreda was a first generation born American and it was during her youth that she had the opportunity to travel in 1938 to Vinigo di Cadore, Italy, the birth place of her parents. It was due to this early life experience of great fun and adventure that she developed her love for her parent’s homeland. Her trip was cut short in the fall of 1939 when her mother grew weary of the unrest in Europe prior to the start of World War II, and they returned home.

It was after the war, while working at Highway Pools, that she met Stewart Henderson DeWitt, a 2nd Lieutenant Naval Pilot reservist, and they were married on July 19, 1947 and shared the joys of life together for more than 67 years.   While her husband attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on the GI bill, she was granted an “Expression of Gratitude” certificate by the graduating class of 1951 for being a loyal, devoted, and understanding student wife. After graduation, Stewart took employment with Westinghouse Electric Corporation and eventually they settled in Springfield, Pennsylvania where all four of their children were born and went to school. Penny was the ultimate home maker and together they enjoyed the close relationship of family, friends, and camping trips to Lake Sebago, Maine and the New Jersey sea shore.

In 1972, the family moved to Georgetown, Texas when Westinghouse built a new manufacturing plant outside of Round Rock, Texas. It was here while the children continued their education that in 1975 Penny began her employment at the Georgetown Housing Authority, where she served as Executive Director of the Section 8 Housing Program for Georgetown and Round Rock until her retirement in 1993. During her 18 years of faithful service she assisted hundreds of people in obtaining affordable housing and encouraged them all to succeed.

Penny was also a determined student with a lifelong dream to attend college. In the early 1980’s, after finishing prerequisite classes at Austin Community College, she went on to complete every accounting/business class offered at Southwestern University.

In her free time, she enjoyed watercolor painting, her ladies’ investment club, bowling, attending the activities of her grandchildren, rooting for the Texas Aggies, working at her second career as a real estate agent, and managing the family investment properties. In retirement traveling became special as she and Stewart spent many summers in Italy with her Italian family and later those summers were spent in Red River, New Mexico. She visited Colorado to see her daughter and family and most Octobers were spent in Port Aransas, Texas. Her love for Italy was immense and she so generously made sure that all her children and grandchildren were given the opportunity to visit, not only Vinigo di Cadore, but the rest of Italy as well.

Penny was loved by all who knew her. She is preceded in death by husband; her parents; sister Anne Pitcher and husband Joseph, brother Silvio Pivirotto, brother in-law Walter DeWitt and wife Marie, and sister in-law Joan DeWitt. She leaves behind to cherish her memory daughter, Cynthia DeWitt Jordan and husband Sampson; daughter, Lisa DeWitt Wolfer and husband Michael; son, Stewart DeWitt, Jr. and wife Leigh; and daughter, Jennifer DeWitt Fishel; grandchildren Sampson Kenneth Jordan, Jr., Christopher DeWitt Jordan and fiancé Kayla, Kaitlin Jordan Jimenez and husband Francisco, Michael DeWitt Wolfer and fiancé Christine, Shana Raelle Wolfer, Brandon Kyle Raschke, Evan Pivirotto DeWitt, Danika Renee Fishel and Rachel Elizabeth DeWitt; a brother in law William DeWitt; numerous DeWitt and Pitcher nieces and nephews. In addition to her extended family members Stefano, Giuliano, Edita, Sara, and Gianluca Della Bona in Vinigo di Cadore, Italy.

The family wishes to thank Rita Alcaraz and Mariah Passawe for the special care they provided to Penny during her last two years of life while she resided at Park Valley Inn Health Center.

A vigil service will be held at on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 6:00 p.m., with visitation starting at 6:00 pm and the recitation of the rosary at 7:00 p.m. at Gabriel Funeral Chapel, 393 North Interstate 35, Georgetown, TX. Funeral Mass will be Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 10:00 am at St. Helen Catholic Church, 2700 E. University Ave., Georgetown, TX, with internment following at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, Killeen, TX.

Honoring as pallbearers will be Sampson Jordan, Jr., Christopher Jordan, Francisco Jimenez, Michael D. Wolfer, Brandon Raschke, and Evan DeWitt.

Memorial contributions can be made in Penny's name to: St. Helen Catholic Church, 2700 E. University Ave., Georgetown, TX 78626.