Clifford Maynard Witte, age 103, of Whitewater, WI completed his earthly journey on December 24, 2024 in his home surrounded by his loving family.
Clifford was born on September 13, 1921 on a farm in Mount Horeb, WI, and was the third child of Ella and Eli Witte. Clifford served his country by joining the Navy in 1942 during WWII, and served alongside his two brothers. Later he used the GI bill to attend Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, IA. There he met the love of his life, Beulah (Billie) Ohrberg, and they married on Nov 7, 1946. Shortly after Clifford graduated, they moved to Platteville and opened Witte Chiropractic Clinic on Main Street.
Clifford eventually moved his practice to 45 S. Chestnut Street, and expanded with offices in Cuba City and Mineral Point. He served on the board of Directors for the Wisconsin Chiropractic Association, to which he was a founding member, and served as President in 1969. While on the legislative committee he was able to get legislation passed making Chiropractic care mandatory for insurance coverage, and for establishing that Chiropractors would be officially designated as, and able to use the title of Doctor.
In recognition of his many contributions, the WCA awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1964 he built two apartment buildings on Lancaster Street in Platteville which were the first of their kind. This sparked his love of property management, and he continued to add additional holdings to his portfolio throughout the years.
Dr. Witte semi-retired in 1975 and moved his family to Whitewater Lake. There, he joined the Whitewater Lions club and proudly served as a ‘Whitewater Lion’ for 24 years, filling many roles during that time. He also continued seeing patients, and truly became a part of the community. He loved the Wisconsin lake-lifestyle, sharing pontoon rides and water skiing with family and
friends. He also loved celebrating Christmas with Norwegian family traditions, including eating Lutefisk and Lefse.
His faith was paramount. He attended and served at St. John’s in Whitewater; while there he headed many projects and served the Lord as a Church Council Elder and Congregational President for over 20 years. Clifford also proudly carried the American flag in every Fourth of July Parade with his VFW and American Legion fellow veterans, even into his 90’s. In 2018, he was recognized for his sacrifices and received a ‘Quilt of Valor’ by a national veterans organization.
If you ask him his greatest accomplishment he would say, “His family.” Dr. Witte was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Clifford is preceded in death by his loving wife Beulah (Billie), brothers Donald (LaVern) and Curt, Son-in-law John Kolenda. He is survived in death by his four children, Chris, Ron (Laurie), Alice (Steve) and Karla (Ron). Grandchildren; Cristine, Tiffany, Rachel, Emily, Danielle and Erica, and 9 Great-Grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 11:00 am at Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, WI 53190. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 10:00 am until the time of the service. Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery in Mount Horeb, WI.
As an expression of sympathy you may wish to consider a gift to the St. Croix Hospice.
