On Oct. 16, 2023, William “Bill” Ellis Wittenburg died from natural causes in Lakeway, after a short illness. He had just celebrated his 90th birthday.
Funeral Mass will be held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Lometa on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m., with interment to follow at Senterfitt Cemetery. Sneed-Carnley Funeral Chapel in Lampasas has charge of arrangements.
Bill was born in Belton on Oct. 10, 1933, to Fred Wittenburg Sr. and his wife, Zollie Holland Wittenburg.
In 1936, Bill’s parents moved from Belton to Lometa, where Bill grew up on the family place. He graduated from Lometa High School in the Class of 1951.
He graduated from North Texas State University in 1955 with a degree in business management. He then served two years in the United States Army.
In December 1955, while Bill was home on leave, he met Joyce Nell Schneider who was attending nursing school at the University of Texas. Bill and Joyce fell in love and carried on a longdistance courtship for two years. Bill would travel to Austin once a month to see Joyce.
He completed his enlistment in the Army in 1957 and moved to Midland, where he went to work for Midwest Oil.
Bill and Joyce were married on March 22, 1958, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Midland. All three of their daughters were born in Midland.
Throughout his life, Bill loved working with livestock and ranching.
In 1974, he retired from Midwest Oil and moved his family to Lampasas. He worked in real estate but spent much of his time working with his livestock. In 1999, they moved to Georgetown and then Lakeway. Bill continued to run cattle until he was 88 years old.
During their 66 years of marriage, they traveled to more than 58 countries.
Bill stayed vigilant to his Catholic faith his entire life and placed his trust in his Lord Jesus Christ.
Bill is survived by his wife of 66 years, Joyce Schneider Wittenburg; his brother, Robert Wittenburg and wife Deborah; his sister, Mary Lou Wittenburg Parmer and husband Richard; three daughters, Tamara Gravenor and husband Bill, Shara Fletcher and husband Keith, and Jeanna Canales and husband Cody; grandchildren Josh Gravenor and wife Jennifer, Brittlyn Pohl and husband Travis, Ryan Bear and Larry Ramos, Shawna Sowder and husband Andrew, Brianna Fletcher, Drakkar Canales and wife Ashton, and Chauncey Krause and husband Nicholas; and great-grandchildren Kennedy Pohl, Madison Pohl, Brooke Pohl, Ava Pohl, Benjamin Gravenor and Harrison Gravenor. He also is survived by a large and extended Wittenburg and Schneider family.
Bill was preceded in death by his brother, Fred Wittenburg Jr. and wife Mary Alice.
Memorial donations may be made to Bill’s favorite charity, St. Jude.
