Ann Goodwin Witmer Hintz

Ann Goodwin Witmer Hintz passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 27. She had an indelible spirit and sharp intellect which shone through despite a lengthy illness. She was a 4th generation Iowan.
Ann was born June 23, 1935, and was raised on a farm in Redfield Iowa by her parents Rober K. Goodwin and Marguerite Schoen Goodwin along with her brother Robert F. Goodwin. Ann attended Redfield Consolidated School and was a starting forward on the girls' varsity basketball team her freshman season before moving away the following year. Ann enjoyed taking her family to visit her former home site in Redfield which she and her brother later donated to Dallas County and is now Hanging Rock County Park. Ann moved to Des Moines with her family in 1950 where Ann graduated with honors from Roosevelt High School in 1953.
Ann attended college at Northwestern University where she was Phi Beta Kappa, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority and was a pompom girl. After college she moved to New York City to work at the prestigious advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson before returning to Iowa to get married. In 1958, she married John A Witmer. The couple lived in Germany, Iowa City and eventually settled in Des Moines. They had two sons, John and Scott. The family experienced many adventures boating, skiing and living an active lifestyle. They had many wonderful memories at Lake Vermillion and Gull Lake, and trips to far off places. While raising her sons, Ann was also active with the Junior League, serving as President for a time. She was an active member of the PEO. She volunteered and raised funds for the Des Moines Art Center.
Ann married Dr. Charles Hintz in 1978. After a debilitating accident, she cared for Dr. Hintz for many years. Dr. Hintz died in 2001.
In 1991, she fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams and opened a French country home furnishings store in West Des Moines that she named Affinities Gifts and Furnishings. She kept the successful store for over 15 years and truly enjoyed sharing her love of all things French with her customers. She enjoyed trips to France to find treasures to sell in the store. During those trips, Ann often invited friends or family to join her, and she relished sharing her affinity for France with those she loved.
Ann had many hidden talents including horsemanship, marksmanship, golf, and tennis. Ann stayed intellectually curious throughout her life and was an avid reader and explorer of different cultures. She was endlessly generous to her family. Above all, she was the most fun Grammy / Ami ever. She leaves behind her loving family, sons John (Jane) of Seattle, WA, and Scott (Carey) of Cos Cob, CT and 5 grandchildren, Jackson (33), Kendall (32), Noah (28), Emmett (27), and Hayden (24). Her brother, Robert F Goodwin resides in Bethesda, MD.
A special thank you to the many caregivers who provided Ann with compassion, laughter and conversation for the last many years. We remain indebted to them for their tenderness.
Ann would have loved for you to support the Des Moines Art Center with a donation in her name.
Arrangements by Iles Dunn's Chapel.
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