Fred Wittner, of Bartlett, IL, formerly of Schaumburg, IL, peacefully departed this world at the age of 91 on April 23, 2024. Born on April 25, 1932, in Warsaw, Poland, to Leopold and Halina, Fred was the third of six siblings.

Despite the hardships of losing his mother during WWII, along with various travels and travails via horse and buggy to Germany, Fred's spirit remained resilient. At the age of 14 he began an apprenticeship as a baker in the small town of Nentershausen, Germany. In 1955, at the age of 23 and driven by a longing for better opportunities, Fred and two of his brothers, John and Bill, embarked on a journey to America by ship. Little did he know that fate had a beautiful surprise awaiting him onboard—the encounter with a radiant young woman named Edith Nistler. Their meeting blossomed into a love story for the ages. Fred fell head over heels for Edith as they danced the nights away and even won a dance competition aboard the ship. Upon arriving in America, Fred sought out Edith, and they were married a year later in 1956, celebrating with a wedding cake made by Fred himself. Together, they raised two loving daughters, Linda and Kelly.

While in America, Fred enlisted in the Army and proudly served his new home. In 1962, he secured a job working for Jewel Food Stores, initially at their headquarters bakery in Melrose Park, IL and later played a pivotal role in implementation of in-store bakeries. He dedicated 32 years of service to Jewel before retiring in 1993.

Fred will be remembered as a kind, honest, and helpful person. He hailed from an era where fixing things himself was the norm, and if he didn't know how, he'd eagerly learn. Fred was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need and found joy in assisting at his church and in his neighborhood. He was the person who would see the trash on the street, and pick it up and ensure it found its way to the trash bins; or pick up a few shopping carts in a parking lot to return them to the store. He had a remarkable ability to remember everyone's name. Fred's gentle nature will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

He was an avid gardener and enjoyed being a member of the Schaumburg Garden Club. His favorite activity was taking care of the vegetables and flowers in his yard, creating a sanctuary for the birds and butterflies. The baker in him always enjoyed a fresh loaf of bread or a coffee cake drizzled with icing and streusel. However, his greatest passion in life was spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

Fred is preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife of 63 years, Edith, and his brothers John, Bill, Eugen, and Michael.

To carry on Fred’s legacy are his cherished daughters, Linda (Dennis) Raffaelli and Kelly (Roland) Sauer; beloved grandchildren Kyle (Marisa) Raffaelli, Blake Raffaelli, Samantha (Tyler) McClure, Spencer Sauer, and Sophia Sauer; great-grandchildren Isabel and Gabriella Raffaelli; sister-in-law Gudrun Wittner; nephew Eric (Amber) Wittner; brother Benjamin (Gisela) Woitkewitz; and sister Ruth Woitkewitz.

Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to his favorite charities, the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity. 

https://give.salvationarmyusa…

https://secure.habitat.org/si…

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