Elizabeth Witte

Elizabeth Gaither Witte, a Texas City resident and First Baptist Church member for over six decades, passed Saturday afternoon, March 3, 2007, at Trinity Care Center in Brenham, Texas. She was 97. Elizabeth was born June 24, 1909, in Merkel, Texas, the second of six children of John Duskin and Lola Gaither. She grew up in El Paso, and in fall 1942 moved to Texas City. She worked at Republic Oil Company and then Marathon Oil Company until her 1974 retirement. Just as Elizabeth s life covered the expanse of Texas, from the Chihuahua Desert to the Gulf Coast, she enjoyed a wide range of personal accomplishments. At 14, a first place finish in a statewide sewing competition sponsored by the Texas Department of Education was a forerunner to a lifetime of achievement. Elizabeth was a successful marksman, often competing against men, and in 1941 earned the headline El Paso Annie Oakley, in the El Paso Herald. She was a perennial bowling champion at the Republic and Marathon leagues for over 20 years and enjoyed competing at bridge. She also enjoyed sewing, gardening and camping. She several times traversed the nation on bus trips with friends from her beloved First Baptist Church of Texas City. Her fellow travelers called themselves the LLL group Live Long and Love it. She did that. She was a devout Baptist. At First Baptist of Texas City, she attended the same Sunday School class, in which she held several offices, for over 60 years. Elizabeth is survived by her daughter, Betty Lee Afflerbach of Austin; son, James Gaither Witte and wife Carol of Brenham; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. In recognition of her longtime citizenship, former Texas City mayor Charles T. Doyle proclaimed June 18, 1999, six days before Elizabeth s 90th birthday, Elizabeth Gaither Witte Day in Texas City. Memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 7 at Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main in Brenham. Graveside services will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, March 8 at Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville. Flowers are welcome. Heartfelt thanks go to the Christian family at Greenvine Baptist Church, the caregivers at Hospice Brazos Valley and the director and staff at Trinity Care Center. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., Brenham.