Eloise Derise Wittenberg

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, June 27, 2013 in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for Eloise Derise “Ms. Witt” Wittenberg, 89, who passed away peacefully on June 20, 2013 at her residence at 9:00 am. Father Osodum of Our Lady of Lourdes will conduct the funeral services. Burial will take place in Lafayette Memorial Park. Eloise Derise Wittenberg, a resident of Lafayette, was born in St Mary Parish the daughter of the late Laodice Derise and Leonore Provost. A 6th generation native of South Louisiana and a devout Catholic, Mrs. Wittenberg spoke French as her first language. She attended grammar school in Glencoe, LA and graduated from Franklin High School in Franklin, LA in 1940. She enlisted in the US Navy WAVES in 1943 and received an honorable discharge in 1945. Following World War II, Mrs. Wittenberg received her Nursing Degree from the North Louisiana School of Nursing/Centenary College, Class of 1949. She returned to Acadiana to begin a 56- year career as a Registered Nurse. She worked private duty in Franklin, New Iberia, and Lafayette until 1975 at which time she joined the Nursing staff of Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1996, she received the Our Lady of Lourdes Franciscan Service Award. She (reluctantly) retired from nursing in 2005 at age 81. Eloise met and married the love of her life L. C. “Witt” Wittenberg in 1961. Her life revolved around her five children not to mention the many Beaton, Dearing and Wittenberg nieces and nephews. Mrs. Wittenberg was an avid fan of LSU football attending games in Tiger Stadium and tailgating with friends from the 1950’s through the 2007 championship season. GEAUX TIGERS !!! She is survived by two daughters, Janet W. Butts and her husband Russell of Albuquerque, NM and Olive W. Hofstader and husband Joe of Denver, CO; three sons, Dr. Edd B. Wittenberg and wife Terry of Colorado Springs, CO, Frank L. Wittenberg and wife Kim of Lafayette, LA, and Leonard C. Wittenberg of Dallas, TX; nine grandchildren, Bridget Nelson, Jessica Lammert, Kelsey Wittenberg, Blake Wittenberg, Megan Wittenberg, Jennifer Wittenberg, Michelle Wittenberg, Robert Hofstader and Alex Hofstader; three great-grandchildren, Kai Nelson, Bryce Nelson and Owen Lammert; and one sister, Rita D. Dearing. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Lester Charles Wittenberg, one sister, Martha Beaton and one brother, Louis “Sonny” Derise. The family would also like to thank Caregivers Margaret Gary, Cleola Duplechin, and Carrie Malbreaux for their loving care and dedication. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette on Wednesday, June 26, 2013 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. A rosary will be recited in the funeral home Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm. Visiting hours will continue on Thursday from 8:00 am until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in the name of Eloise Wittenberg to: The Lourdes Foundation, 4801 Ambassador Caffery, Lafayette, LA 70508 - (337) 470-4610. Pallbearers will be her sons, Edd, Frank and Leonard, her grandsons Blake and Robert, her nephews Neal and Mark, and Mark Ryan. Personal condolences may be sent to the Wittenberg family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Eloise Derise Wittenberg

October 16, 1923 - June 20, 2013