Leland "Lee" Witwer

Leland "Lee" Witwer, 85, of Iowa City died Sunday, March 15 after a long illness.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, June 6, at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, guests are invited to a luncheon following the service at the church.

Memorial donations may be directed to the Iowa City Community School District Foundation Music Auxiliary Program or New Horizon Senior Center Band.

Lee was born July 16, 1940 in Abilene, KS, the son of Vernon and Eunice Steele Witwer. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Bethany College in Lindborg, Kansas and later his Masters in Trumpet Performance from the University of Colorado.

He married Beverly Wright on June 17, 1967 in Austin, Texas. They moved to Iowa City in 1968.

Lee was a teacher and band director for 37 years in the Iowa City schools at Central and Southeast Junior High, retiring in 1999.

He was active in Iowa City Community Band, New Horizons Senior Center Band and was past president of the Sunrise Optimists. He also was a member of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church and enjoyed playing competitive tennis.

Lee and Beverly have resided at Oaknoll for many years and enjoyed the Oaknoll community. He was well known for playing the Iowa fight song and Happy Birthday on his trumpet for the staff and residents. His music will be missed by all.

Survivors include his wife, Bev; his daughters, Wendy (Amanda) Smith of Kewanee, Illinois and Amy (Wes) Ficken of Olathe, Kansas; his grandchildren, Ryan, Alex, Morgan, Kendall and Blake and his sister, Karen (Lynn) Courtney of Fort Collins, Colorado; his brother, Wayne (Mary Katherine) of San Antonio, Texas, and brother-in-law, Dale Haag of Fort Hays, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Katie Haag.

Online condolences and memories may be shared at on Lee's Tribute Wall.