Priscilla Witter

1930 - 2010

Witter, Priscilla

Priscilla Witter, 80, of Thonon-les Bains, France, died Nov. 28, 2010.

Priscilla was born in Wisconsin Rapids on Sept. 19, 1930, to Suzanne Gobel Witter and Jeremiah Delos Witter II. At an early age, Priscilla and her family moved to Beverly Hills, Calif., where she resided until the age of 17. After living in San Francisco for two years, Priscilla, her brother, Dean, and their mother, moved to France, where Priscilla was to live for the rest of her life.

While living in Paris, Priscilla followed the classical music scene very closely as well as art, drama, and culture. She became friends of many of the leading pianists of the time and wrote reviews for the Paris edition of the Herald Tribune, and the New York Times regarding cultural events in Europe. Later, she moved to the south of France where her mother, Mrs. Suzanne Kaufmann, was living in Monaco. During the last half of her life, Priscilla became involved in rescuing abandoned cats and dogs and built a shelter for them on her property near Menton, in the south of France. Later, she established a foundation to care for abandoned cats and dogs. She was known throughout France as the "cat lady of Menton".

Priscilla was predeceased by her father, Jeremiah Delos Witter II, in 1976; her mother, Suzanne Gobel Witter- Smith- Kaufmann on Aug. 23, 1997; and her brother, Jeremiah Delos Witter III in 2006. She is survived by her brother, Phelps Dean Witter and his wife, Barbara Witter, of San Francisco; and her nephew, Warren Newman Witter, also of San Francisco; three nieces, Carol Witter, Diane Witter and Leslie Witter, as well as two grandnieces, Molly Metcalf and Charlotte Metcalf, and one grand-nephew, Timothy Metcalf, all of Southern California, Los Angeles area. She is also survived by Ann Witter Cates, daughter of Jere Witter III of Lexington, Ky.

Priscilla loved the vacation times and school time that she spent in Wisconsin Rapids. She especially loved her "grandpa", Isaac Witter.

As she requested, Priscilla's ashes will be interred privately next to her brother, Jere Witter, in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Wisconsin Rapids on Aug. 24, 2011, with her brother, Dean, and sister-in-law, Barbara Witter, in attendance. There will be no service.

Taylor, Vollert and Jennings Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.