August 25, 1948 - November 19, 2024

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 was held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, November 25th, at Heartland Evangelical Free Church in Central City. Rev. John McKinney will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Mamre CemeterynearMarquette. No Visitation. Memorials may be made to the family to designate atalaterdate. Condolencesmay be sent to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.

com.

Neal Wittler 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 8 th grade, then graduated from NorfolkPublicHighSchoolin1966. Duringhishighschoolandjunior 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 101 st Airborne during the Vietnam War receiving a Purple Hear, 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,tocontinuefarmingwithhisdadandbrother. Nealmarried Kristy (Garris) on March 3, 1979 at Pleasant View Bible Church in Aurora. Togethertheyhadthreechildren,sonScottanddaughters, Stacy(Berck)andSusan(Giwoyna). Nealfarmed,fedcattleand milkedcows. Whenthekidswentofftocollege,thecowslefttooso theycouldfollowtheirkids’collegeathleticcareers. Hethenrented out the farm ground and worked for Wayne County District 3 for over 20years,beforeretiringin2020. Nealandhiswifewhotaughtat Winside School drove together for over 20 years to work at Winside.

In 2009, Neal and Kristy moved to Norfolk near Skyview Lake, hostingBigBangBoompartiesfromtheirbackyard. Nealhadmany hobbies including watching sporting activities of his children, grandchildren andson-in-law,KyleBerckMotorsportsRacing. Heenjoyed woodworking, building projects for his wife and kids and working hard onhislawnandlandscaping. Hecontinuedtodothesameactivities and hobbies and celebrations when he moved to Marquette in 2021 and builtanewhomenearhisdaughterandson-in-law’sfarm. Heenjoyed retirement and being close to family. He liked to take drives and look at the crops, often farming and maintain roads from inside his pickup.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arnold & 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,SethandKinsley. Heis also survived by sister, Marietta Schmit of Norfolk; his brother, Larry (Deanna) Wittler of AZ, sister, Joyce (Dennis) Kment of Stanton and sister,KarenHillandSteveEllisofUlysses,KS. Therearemany nieces and nephews scattered around the area and many cousins that spent time visiting and offered many prayers for him.