Neal Wittler

Neal Wittler, age 76, of Marquette, formerly of Hoskins and Norfolk, passed away Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at his home with his family by his side.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, November 25, at Heartland Evangelical Free Church in Central City. Rev. John McKinney will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Mamre Cemetery near Marquette.   No Visitation.  Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date.   Condolences may be sent to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.
Neal Arnold Wittler, the son of Arnold and Eleanor (Langenberg) Wittler, was born in Norfolk, on August 25, 1948 and passed away on November 19, 2024, at Marquette, at the age of 76.
Neal was the third of five children, he attended District 60 Elementary School, Hoskins Public School for 8th grade, then graduated from Norfolk Public High School in 1966.   During his high school and junior college years he was very active in sports and FFA.
Neal was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969. Neal served for nearly a year in the 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War receiving a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal for his bravery and heroism.
After the war, Neal returned to the farm, where he lived for 60 years, to continue farming with his dad and brother.   Neal married Kristy (Garris) on March 3, 1979 at Pleasant View Bible Church in Aurora.   Together they had three children, son Scott and daughters, Stacy (Berck) and Susan (Giwoyna).   Neal farmed, fed cattle and milked cows.   When the kids went off to college, the cows left too so they could follow their kids’ college athletic careers.   He then rented out the farmground and worked for Wayne County District 3 for over 20 years, before retiring in 2020.   Neal and his wife who taught at Winside School drove together for over 20 years to work at Winside.
In 2009, Neal and Kristy moved to Norfolk near Skyview Lake, hosting Big Bang Boom parties from their backyard.   Neal had many hobbies including watching sporting activities of his children, grandchildren and son-in-law, Kyle Berck Motorsports Racing.   He enjoyed woodworking, building projects for his wife and kids and working hard on his lawn and landscaping.   He continued to do the same activities and hobbies and celebrations when he moved to Marquette in 2021 and built a new home near his daughter and son-in-law’s farm.   He enjoyed retirement and being close to family.  He liked to take drives and look at the crops, often farming and maintaining roads from inside his pickup.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Eleanor Wittler; two grandchildren and two nephews.    
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Kristy of almost 46 years of marriage of Marquette, son, Scott of Des Moines, IA, daughters, Stacy (Kyle) Berck of Marquette and Susan (Kyle) Giwoyna of Papillion; grandchildren, Abby, Kaity, Ryan, Seth and Kinsley.   He is also survived by sister, Marietta Schmit of Norfolk; his brother, Larry (Deanna) Wittler of AZ, sister, Joyce (Dennis) Kment of Stanton and sister, Karen Hill and Steve Ellis of Ulysses, KS.   There are many nieces and nephews scattered around the area and many cousins that spent time visiting and offered many prayers for him.