Roe (Buddie) Edwin Witt, 88, born on March 2, 1933 of Lecanto, FL, went home to be with the Lord on February 19, 2022.
He was born to the late Lester J. and Irene Z. (McClung) Witt of Big Mountain, WV. He grew up in Dawson, WV and joined the Navy in 1952 and served his country proudly for 20 years. He went to boot camp in San Diego, CA and then was sent to Korea on an ammunition ship, the USS Virgo. He then was sent to the island of Eniwetok Atoll in the chain of islands known as the Marshall Islands and served in Operation Castle. He was witness to the testing of the first hydrogen bomb while stationed on Eniwetok Atoll. From 1954 to 1957 he served with the Navy SeaBee’s in Alaska and the Philippines. He helped to build a Naval Air Station at Subic Bay in the Philippines where the SeaBee’s moved a mountain and created an Airstrip.
He had a tour of shore duty in Yorktown, VA at the Naval Mine Warfare School and married his childhood sweetheart, Edna Stevens Witt in 1958 and they made a beautiful home together where she kept the home fires burning, taught school, and raised their two children. Edna stayed in Yorktown working as a teacher while Buddie was assigned to the USS Fort Snelling out of Norfolk, VA making various deployments to the Mediterranean Sea for over six years. Other ships he served on included the USS Krishna/ARL 38, USS Fort Mandan/LSD 21, USS Tulare/LKA97 (brief) and the USS Anchorage/LSD36. He spent 3 years at N.B.C. school in Rhode Island as an instructor, where at the time he made Chief, DC. He ended his Naval career at Little Creek Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach, VA in the MSU.
He was a lifetime member of the Yorktown FRA#172 and retired after 20 years as a Hull Technician with 5 Good Conduct Awards. He then went to work at Virginia Power Station as a Supervisor (after working at Cliff’s Gulf Station in Yorktown, VA) He retired a second time after 10 years with Virginia Power. Roe (Buddie as everyone called him) and his wife Edna, camped for family fun, all their married life. The wonderful memories of many camping excursions with his children, grandchildren, family, and friends will be cherished memories forever. The last 14 years have been lived in Citrus County FL where he loved attending 7 Rivers Presbyterian Church and sharing life with members of Life groups. He and Edna enjoyed having a year-round garden on their property in Florida and looked forward to their Saturday morning breakfast dates. A favorite past time with his Lecanto neighbors was playing Hand & Foot and Mexican Train.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years (this year), Edna (nee Stevens) Witt of Lecanto, FL; son, Donald (Deborah) Witt of Seaford, DE and daughter, Rhea Witt (Robert) Hernandez of Yorktown, VA; grandchildren, Anna Marie Hernandez, and Robert Edwin Hernandez; sister, Carol (Clarence) Westcott of Seaford, VA and sisters-in-love, Donna Witt of Grassy Meadows, WV and Jenny Witt of Troy, MO; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester J. and Irene (nee McClung) Witt; four brothers, Lester Dale of Troy, MO, Carl Ray of Dawson, WV, Merrell Lee of Grassy Meadows, WV, and Glen Oral of Dawson, WV and his sister-in-law, Ann Witt.
A celebration of life will be held for family and friends at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church, February 28th, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. 4221 W Gulf to Lake Hwy. Lecanto, FL 34461
FRA #172 in Yorktown VA will be working with us to plan a ceremony with full military honors at Veterans Memorial Gardens in Hampton VA (TBD) with Amory Funeral Home.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Compassion International and/or Florida Cancer Center.
Brown Funeral Home & Crematory in Lecanto, FL in charge of cremation arrangements.
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