N. Harvey Witmer

Norman Harvey Witmer was born on November 19, 1941, in the Chambersburg, PA area. He was the second child, oldest son, of the late Norman and Anna Witmer. At the age of three months his family moved to the Sheldon, Wisconsin area, where he grew up helping his parents carve a farmstead out of the Wisconsin woods. At a young age Harvey gave his heart to the Lord and joined the church at Sheldon, Wisconsin. He met Marilyn Baer when she came from Pennsylvania with her cousin Glenn Baer to attend a Bible School at Sheldon. They were married on June 23, 1962, at McBride, British Columbia. Harvey and Marilyn lived in the McBride area for four and a half years, and during that time Kenneth and Sharon were born. In September of 1966, the family moved to Sheldon, WI, where they lived till May of 1967, at which time they moved to Unity, WI. In the fall of 1967, Harvey was ordained minister. Harvey was a church leader and dairy farmer in the Unity area for twenty-five years. Six more children were added to the family in those years - Arlene, Duane, Jerilyn, Beverly, Gloria and Harlan. During this time, they spent two years serving on the mission field in the Dominican Republic. In July of 1981, Harvey was ordained bishop. The Unity church started an outreach in southern Wisconsin in 1992 and the family relocated to that area. It was here that Harvey spent the last thirty-two years of his life.
Harvey will be remembered for how he enjoyed people and for his interest in the knowledge of God’s world around him. Most importantly we remember his burden for the church and his concern for those who were under his care as a leader. He was taken home to heaven on January 9, 2024, at the age of eighty-two years, one month, twenty-one days. We rejoice in the peacefulness of his passing and his release from his earthly body.
He will be lovingly remembered by Marilyn, his wife of nearly sixty-two years, and his children, son Kenneth (Anna) of Craven Arms, England, daughter Sharon (Duane) Hoover of Neshkoro, Wisconsin, daughter Arlene (Laurence) Fox of Browerville, Minnesota, son Duane (Kendra) of Medford, Wisconsin, daughter Jerilyn (Cornelius) Bauman of Garland, Utah, daughter Beverly (Titus) Byler of Goodhue, Minnesota, daughter Gloria (Keith) Weaver of Tremonton, Utah, son Harlan (Eunice) of Arlington, Vermont, his fifty-one grandchildren, forty-four great-grandchildren. He is survived by his sisters Carolyn (Witmer) Baer of Sheldon, Wisconsin and Lorene Witmer of Augusta, Wisconsin. His brothers, Claire (Clara) Witmer of Sheldon, Wisconsin, Dennis (Naomi) Witmer of Aztec, New Mexico, Dallas (Rhoda) Witmer of Villa del Rosario, Colombia, Aaron (Rhoda) Witmer of Watertown, South Dakota, Ervin (Ruth) Witmer of Cadott, Wisconsin, Ernest (Yvonne) Witmer of Ronks, Pennsylvania.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Norman and Anna Witmer, his sister Pauline, grandsons Wendall Fox and Jackson Weaver and great-grandson Lincoln Schrock, his brothers-in-law Glenn Baer & Dennis Hindal, sisters-in-law Florence (Leslie) Witmer and Rachel (Schrader) Witmer.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 14, 2024 from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Mennonite Church, W5142 S. Oakhaven Circle, Wautoma, WI. 54982. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at W5590 Chicago Ave., Wautoma, WI 54982. Luncheon will follow at Crossroads Family Church, 640 S. Water St., Wautoma, WI 54982.