Lena Wittekiend
Lena Wittekiend
November 4, 1920 — February 17, 2018
Lena Wittekiend (née Gabbert) died peacefully at home at the Country Oaks Assisted Living facility in Burnet, Texas, at the age of 97.
Lena is survived by her children, Ken Wittekiend and wife Judy, and Stewart Wittekiend and wife Jill, all of Burnet, Texas, and Paula Bartels of Brenham, Texas. She leaves10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Wittekiend Sr., in 2005.
Lena was born on Nov. 4, 1920, in Voss, Texas, to Robert M. and Elizabeth Wheat Gabbert. She married Kenneth F. Wittekiend, her Air Force beau, on March 5, 1946. After moving around the country with the Air Force, the couple settled in Sunrise Beach, Texas in 1970. Her children will remember her as a kind, loving mom who always supported and encouraged them to pursue their passions.
Lena loved her years living at Lake LBJ, and in 2007 she moved to Burnet to be near family. She moved to Country Oaks Assisted Living in 2010, where she enjoyed visiting with her buddies, playing bingo and occasionally taking some of their pennies in the weekly poker games. She had an amazingly positive outlook, often reminding everyone that come what may “you do what you gotta do!”
“Granny” Lena joined the Sunrise Beach Baptist Church in 1967 where she held the record for the longest tenure as a member of the congregation.
Funeral services to celebrate Lena’s life are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at the First Baptist Church of Burnet, Texas, with the Rev. Bill McCormick presiding. Following the funeral, graveside service will be conducted at the Sandy Mountain Cemetery in Sunrise Beach, Texas.
The family would like to thank the caregivers and staff at Country Oaks for their dedication in caring for Lena for more than seven years. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Country Oaks at Hamilton Creek Assisted Living, 407 West Jackson, Burnet, TX 78611.
Funeral arrangements made under the direction of Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Homes Inc., Kingsland, Texas. E-mail condolences may be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net.
