Winnifred C. "Winnie" DeWitt

Winnie (Winnifred) DeWitt was born January 1, 1930 to Frank and Helen (née Faubel) Reddick in small house next to the quarry just west of Middle Inlet, Wisconsin. Frank ran the pump for the quarry. Later Frank built a house around the corner from the quarry where Winnie grew up with her older sister, Margarette, and her younger brother, Frank. She walked to the country school. She often talked about walking in the deep snow. She graduated from Wausaukee High School.
Winnie's cousin, Mildred Hoefeldt, married Roscoe (Crow) DeWitt, the brother of Arthur DeWitt, and they lived down the road from Frank and Helen. During a snowstorm, Art, on his way to his brother's house, ran his car into a ditch in front of Winnie's house. Frank helped Art get the car out of the ditch and Art and Winnie met. They were married later in 1947. They moved to Marinette where Art had gotten a job as a policeman.
Winnie was a traditional homemaker. She had Steve, then Peggy who died tragically at age one, then Andy and then Becky. She knitted until arthritis prevented her from doing so. She made quilts for all of her grandchildren. She loved to garden and her flowers were the talk of
Middle Inlet.
Winnie was involved with school PTA and was a den mother which meant she was baking all the time. She was a poll worker for elections and volunteered at Church.
Holidays and family gatherings at Art & Winnies were frequent events. In the DeWitt's family, deer hunting camp was a holiday. With children and non-hunting wives. Thanksgiving was often at Art & Winnies house. Winnie was well known for her bakery. Her most rememberable dish was her bacon gravy and biscuits. Often copied by her Grandchildren, but never quite like Grandmas!
Art had wanderlust and that same sense of adventure rubbed off on Winnie. They became avid campers, taking the kids to Yellowstone five times, and several other road trips to Glacier, Utah and other places "out west". There were road trips to Kentucky where Art's family was from to visit relatives.
After Art retired from the police department, the travels really began. She and Art travelled all over the country, west to east, south to north. Most of the time in a pickup camper. She and Art also worked on houses for Habitat for Humanity.
Eventually the travels diminished. Art and Winnie bought a house in Kentucky. Eventually they moved further south buying a house in Arcadia FL then to retirement communities in Zolfo Springs, Florida.
After Art died in 2001 Winnie's travels changed up to include international travel. Winnie traveled with her daughter, Becky, to Greece and Turkey. They took in such countries as Germany, Ireland, the U.K., Egypt and even Israel where her son Steve joined them. Most recently Winnie braved the cold and sailed above the Artic Circle and took in Iceland, Norway and the Shetland Islands. In all she visited all of the States with the lone exception of Hawaii and 42 countries.
Winnie continued to be a snowbird until the winter of 2023- 2024. Her last trip was a cruise in February 2025 that included Aruba and Bonaire where she climbed into a UTV and explored the island. Winnie spent some time after that cruise in Zolfo Springs to say good bye to dear and close friends as she sold her trailer.
Winnie died peacefully in Marinette on May 2, 2025.
She is survived by her sons Steve DeWitt (Patti), Andy DeWitt (Dede) and daughter Becky DeWitt. She also survived by grandsons: Adam DeWitt (Kathy), Allen DeWitt, Derrick Pipkorn, Cody Pipkorn (Cassie), granddaughters: Danni Knaus (Don) and Andrea Filipowicz (Bryan), in addition, 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial Services to be held at Hansen-Onion-Martell funeral home in Marinette, WI on May 17th. Visitation 2 to 4 p.m., Memorial Service at 4 p.m. with luncheon to follow.
In lieu of flowers, family requests that donations be made in Winnie's name to Shriners Hospital, 2211 N. Oak Park Ave., Chicago, IL 60707 or contribute online at www.shrinerschildren.org and click on Donate.