Irene Wittenauer

Roanoke, VA-Services will be held Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church in Boardman, Ohio for Irene Wittenauer, 99. Family will receive friends prior to the service starting at 10 a.m. at the church.

Irene passed away Nov. 27, 2021 just days before her 100th birthday.

Irene was born Dec. 1, 1921 in Mineral Ridge, Ohio, a daughter of Ernest and Alice Robertson Cleaton.  She graduated from McKinley Memorial High School in Niles, Ohio in 1939 and received her diploma from Warren Business School. She worked for Household Finance in downtown Youngstown for 17 years as a bookkeeper and assistant office manager.

She married the love of her life, F. Stanley Wittenauer, on Dec. 23, 1943 in the midst of WWII.  They were married nearly 70 years when her beloved Stan passed away.

Irene was a member of the church and a former member of Martin Luther Lutheran Church, where she was active in her women’s circle, the Lutheran Church Women, and directed Vacation Bible School for many years.

Irene served as president of the Sheridan School PTA and worked tirelessly for the benefit of the students. She advocated for teacher pay raises and worked to pass school levies to support those increases. She was active in Youngstown area garden clubs and an officer in the Youngstown Garden Forum.

Irene and Stan moved to Wytheville, Virginia in 1973, where her husband started the Aeroquip Manufacturing Plant. She was active in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and the Wytheville Women’s Club. While in Wytheville, she volunteered to transport cancer patients to and from treatments at regional hospitals.

The Wittenauers returned to Youngstown  in 1978, moving back to the same home they sold five years before and picking right up where they left off with church friends and Plymouth Drive neighbors.
Irene later moved to Roanoke, Virginia to be closer to family after her husband died.

Irene is survived by her only daughter, Kelly Zuber (Tim) of Roanoke, Virginia and her beloved grandson, Rev. Alex Zuber (Renna Nouwairi) of Fishersville, Virginia who will be conducting her funeral service.  She is also survived by her niece, Claudia Baytos(Tom) of Niles, Ohio and a great niece and nephew.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her sister, Doris Egler (Joe), her brother, John “Jack” Cleaton (Betty) and her nephew, Larry Egler, all of Niles.

Irene was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother who worked in selfless service to her family to make sure everyone had a happy and successful life.

Arrangements are being handled by the Davis-Becker Funeral Home. Please visit www.beckerobits.com to share memories and online condolences with Irene’s family.