6/21/2026
Anna E. “Betty” Witmer, 91, passed away at Brethren Village in Lititz, PA, on Sunday, June 21, 2026. Born in Lancaster County on December 9, 1934 to Lloyd H. and Edna M. (Shenk) Weaver, she married Clyde W. Witmer in 1955.
Betty lived in Greenwood, N.Y. with her husband and children where she became a widow just before turning 30 years old. She remained in Greenwood with her four children for 3 ½ years following her husband’s death and then returned to Lancaster, PA in 1968 to be close to family.
As a teenager, Betty worked on market in Lancaster and York for Shenk Cheese Company, which was started by her grandfather Cayton H. Shenk. She also worked there as an adult for a few years following her return to Lancaster. She later spent time working at Watt and Shand Department Store as a sales clerk and then at Lancaster General Hospital as a nurse’s aide, and ended her career working as a bookkeeper for L.H. Brubaker Appliances, Inc., from which she retired. In 2018 Betty moved to Brethren Village where she received wonderful care through her journey with dementia.
Betty gave her heart to the Lord early in life. As a young adult, both single and married, she was involved in various church Home Missions in places like Baltimore, Maryland, and central Pennsylvania. After being married, she and Clyde served in Voluntary Service with the Mennonite Church working with migrant workers in northern Pennsylvania, and then moved to Greenwood, New York to help with a newly planted church at West Union, New York. Her faith remained central to her throughout her life. As a single mother of four and with a heavy reliance on prayer, Betty passed on her deep faith to all of her children who, as a result, remain in the faith to this day. Her heart was always tender towards those in need and she often lent a listening ear to friends and relatives.
Betty enjoyed playing piano and in her younger years taught piano lessons. She grew up loving flowers and even in her later years her neighbors would often see her working in her flowerbeds.
Betty’s grandchildren meant a lot to her and she prayed diligently for them throughout her life. She was a wonderful grandmother who always knew what flavors of ice cream were her family’s favorites. In addition to loving her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all little children brought her joy.
Betty is survived by her children Gary (Jamie) Witmer, Gwen (John) Bledsoe, Cindy Witmer and Dean Witmer, 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, brother Daniel S. Weaver, and sister Martha (Weaver) Lippart. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her stepmother, Virginia (Armentrout) Weaver, her brother Clayton E. Weaver, and her step-brother Fred Kreider.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 25, at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel at Brethren Village, 3001 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA. The family will greet friends from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the chapel.
The family would like to express their deep appreciation to the staff at Brethren Village for their compassionate care for our mother.
