Jennie Wittmaak

Jennie Elizabeth (Caddis) Wittmaak died peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, June 11, 2015 at St. Mary’s East in Erie.

Jennie was born on February 7, 1923 in Burton-on-Trent, England and immigrated to America with her parents as a babe-in-arms in October 1923. They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to Ellis Island in NY and then traveled by train to Pittsburgh where she and her parents (Andrew and Nellie Caddis) began their new life. Two more children were born in Pittsburgh before the family moved to Erie in 1929.

Jennie attended Edison School and graduated from Lawrence Park High School in 1941. During Jennie’s senior year, her family (which had added two more boys) moved to Ripley, NY; but Jennie stayed behind (living with a teacher’s family) so she could finish with her class at Lawrence Park.

After graduation, she followed her family to Ripley and worked in the Post Office there. In 1943, she traveled with a friend to California where she met the love-of-her-life, Mac (Harold MacLean Wittmaak). On October 22, 1944 they were married in Ripley and began their married life in Cherry Point, NC, where Mac was stationed in the Marines.

Their first son , Jim, was born in 1946; and when Mac finished his Marine service, they bought a house in Ripley and their second son, Don, was born while there. In 1953 they moved to Erie (Millcreek) and bought a house at 232 East Gore Road (where Jennie lived until last year). Two more sons (John and Richard ) where born while there.

Jennie worked several years at the AAA as bookkeeper and was very active in TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) where she held various office positions over the years. She called the meetings and gatherings “Club.” Jennie attended Belle Valley Presbyterian Church.

Over the years, many people benefited from her great skill in upholstery, sewing, knitting, crochet and “crafts”. Her signature dish for family gatherings was “copper pennies” and her homemade fudge each Christmas was always enjoyed.

As the eldest of six children, Jennie was always looked-up-to by all her siblings. For the whole family she always represented a quiet levelheadedness. She used to say “Be calm, be cool, be collected”. One of her most outstanding qualities was her non-judgmentalism. She always saw the good in everyone.

After Mac died in 1988, Jennie traveled all over the country on some epic road trips with her sister, Kathleen. Jennie loved horses and had a lifetime collection of horse figurines as well as many dolls. She loved reading and “old” movies and music- she and Mac enjoyed jazz and dixlieland music together.

Jennie will be greatly missed by family and friends who can all attest to her many acts of kindness over the years. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother David, sister Kathleen, and step-son David.

She is survived by her four sons: James (Tammy) of Cambridge Springs, Donald (Bonnie) of Findley Lake, John (Teresa) of Cambridge Springs, and Richard (Lisa) of Cambridge Springs. She also leaves behind 11 grandchildren: Jennifer, Stephen, Chrissy, Charlie, Bobby, Andy, Steve, Taylor, Chris, Casey, and John- as well as 14 great grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Jim and Don Caddis, and one sister, Fran Davis , as well as many nieces and nephews.

Friends and family may call at Burton Westlake Funeral Home, 3801 West 26th Street (at Powell Ave) on Saturday from 3:30 until the time of service there at 5:30 with Reverend David Edmunds of Belle Valley Presbyterian Church officiating.