ZETA E. WITTMAN

ZETA E. WITTMAN (NEE COLLINS) HOBART, IN
Zeta E. Wittman (nee Collins), passed away Thursday June 24, 2010 at the age of 110. Zeta was born June 15, 1900 in Gilmore City, IA. Catherine and Joseph Collins welcomed the second oldest of their eight children to their farming family. Zeta helped her father with chores including training horses and driving horse drawn wagons carrying the harvest to the local grain elevator. Upon graduating from Tobin College at 17 years old, Zeta began teaching in a one room school house. Zeta married Howard Wittman in 1925, having a happy marriage until his passing in 1976. They made their home in Hobart, beginning in 1945, where she and her husband, Howard, raised three children: Nelson (Lynda) of OH, Charles (late Patricia) of WI, and Zeta M. (Robert) Allen of Hobart. Zeta, with her husband Howard, resided in Dayton, OH, Paris, TX and Gary prior to their move to Hobart. Zeta was President of PTA at Holy Angels in Gary, very active in St. Bridget's Church activities and a Girl Scout Leader in Hobart. At 93, Zeta elected to discontinue driving, which limited her activities. Zeta spent time until recent years attending Mass daily, playing bridge and traveling. Her trips included touring, California, Hawaii, Mount Rushmore, Texas, Florida, Rhode Island, and New York. She also traveled to Europe when she was 85 years old with Ireland and Italy as destinations. At age 103, Zeta wrote a book for the family to enjoy called "My First Hundred Years", reflecting her personal journey through the 20th Century. Zeta continued independent living in her own home until age 103, when she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law. She continued practicing her Catholic faith by viewing TV Mass every Sunday and receiving communion from the St. Bridget's Eucharist ministers. Zeta's love, spunk and inspiration will be missed by all of her family and friends. She is survived by her three children and their families: including 11 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends on Friday, July 2, 2010 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Rees Funeral Home, 600 West Old Ridge Road, Hobart. A Rosary will be said at 4:30 PM with the St. Anne's Sodality and the Daughters of Isabella Circle #359. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 3, 2010 directly at St. Bridget 's Catholic Church, 568 East 2nd Street, Hobart with Father Dominic Bertino officiating. Entombment will be at Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso, IN. Memorial's in Zeta's memory may be made to the St. Bridget's building fund, Valparaiso VNA Horton Hospice Center, Meals on Wheels or Hobart Food Pantry. For further information please call Rees Funeral Home at (219) 942-2109.