Bellville Times
August 2003
Nobert Herman Wittner, a longtime educator in the Austin public schools,
passed away at the age of 87 on Aug. 19, 2003 in The Woodlands.
He was born on Jan. 14, 1916, in Bleiblerville, the son of Herman and
Ellie Wittner. He attended high school in Industry and was a graduate of the
University of Texas with BA and MA degrees.
He was a former teacher of mathematics and physics, assistant principal
and principal of Austin High School from 1937 through 1952. In 1953 when two
new high schools were opened in Austin, he became the first principal of A.N.
McCallum High School and served there through 1964. For the remainder of
his 37 year career as an educator, he served in the Administrative Offices of
the Austin Independent School District in the Division of Instruction, the
Division of Research and Development and as Director of Secondary
Education.
He retired in 1974, after suffering a heart attack, to pursue his
woodworking and metalworking interests.
Mr. Wittner has been active in many professional and civic organizations.
He served as President of the Austin Teachers Association; President of the
Texas Association of Secondary School Principals; a member of Phi Beta
Kappa, an honorary Professional Education Fraternity, for over 50 years; a
member of the Citizenšs Advisory Committee to the Juvenile Board of Travis
County; a member of the Downtown Rotary Club of Austin for 35 years and a
member of its Board of Directors and a member of the Southern Association
of Secondary Schools and Colleges, evaluating high schools in eleven southern
states that were seeking accreditation in the Southern Association of
Secondary Schools and Colleges.
He was a member of the First English Lutheran Church for almost 60 years
and served on the Church Council and as Director of Christian Education.
Mr. Wittneršs wife, Weta Haevischer Wittner, preceded him in death in
1996.
He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Nancy Wittner of
Pinehurst, Texas; a grandson, Doug, of Madison, Wisconsin and a
granddaughter, Kristina, of Spring, Texas.
Visitation was at Weed Corley Fish Funeral home in Austin on Thursday,
Aug. 21 from 6-8 p.m. Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22
at the First English Lutheran Church in Austin with Pastor Robert Karli
officiating. Burial was in the Cook Walden Memorial Hill Gardens Park,
14619 North IH 35 in Austin.
Memorials may be made to the First English Lutheran Church, 3001 Whitis
Avenue, Austin, Texas 78705 or to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box
16169, Austin, Texas 78761-6169.
Arrangements by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd.,
Austin,
Texas 78705, (512) 452-8811.
Posted by Joy Neely
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