Avril Alice May Witt

Avril Alice May (Martin) Witt

Our beloved grandma, great-grandma and great-great grandma passed away Saturday, December 28th. She was born on April 1, 1928 to Horace Wackling & Alice Kathleen-Kay (Curtis) Martin in Exeter, Devon England. She was the third of seven children. In 1944 she met a young US Navy sailor, William Henry Witt, and they married in Exeter on April 7, 1945 a week after her seventeenth birthday. They spent 67 wonderful years together. She was proud to be an English War bride. Grandpa told her parents that he could give her a better life in the States. She sailed to the United States with several other war brides at the time arriving at the beginning of 1946. Grandma worked at Burgess Battery, Micro Switch and the Union Dairy. After retirement, she and Grandpa worked at Deininger Floral Shop. She was a wonderful knitter. She was a volunteer for many years at FACC. She became a United States Citizen in 1994. She and grandpa were long time members of the Eagle’s Club and grandma was in the auxillary there. They traveled throughout the United States. She never lost touch with her English roots making frequent visits to her birthplace to reunite with family and friends. With her beloved Bill she enjoyed entertaining her parents and siblings who have visited Freeport over the years. Grandma’s last trip was in June of 2018 with Lorrie and Shane for her 90th birthday.

They had one daughter, Ruth Ann (Robert) Midthun, who along with grandpa met her in heaven. She is preceded in death also by her parents, step-father William Mudge, brothers Bill and Frank, sisters Naomi and Sandra, her great-grandson Jace Glasgow and step-brother Terry (Alma) Mudge.

She is survived by her four grandchildren and their families, Lorrie (Shane) Heeren, Kyle (Megan Cox) & Wyatt Heeren, Taylor (Tyler) Sutton, Brady and Jordan Schaul and Drake-DJ (Lauren Tapia) Heeren. Anthony (Susan) Midthun, Peyton Midthun, Jakob (McKenna) and Ellie Jane Midthun and Noah (Isabel) Midthun. Dani Glasgow, Raelyn (Josh Keister) Jade and Rowyn Keister and Cadeyn Glasgow. Heidi Miller, Derrick Brinkmeier, Ben Brinkmeier, Meagan Boyd and McKayla Huntley.

She is also survived by two sisters, Patricia Prowse and Michelle-Mickey (Peter) Hinchcliffe and sister-in- law, Dorothy-Dot Martin all of England. Many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews also survive.

The family would like to thank St. Croix Hospice and Liberty Village for their dedication to keeping grandma comfortable during these last six months. Visitation will be held at Burke-Tubbs, Freeport on Saturday, February 15th at 10am. Funeral to follow at 11 with Pastor Keith Johnson officiating. Cremation rites have been accorded. A memorial has been established for FACC.