Obituary of Allen Albert Wittke

Allen Albert Wittke "Al" 1942 - 2017 It is with heavy hearts that the family of Al Wittke, MBS* announce his sudden departure to the great golf course in the sky on Tuesday, February 14, 2017. Although Al was born in Crossfield, Alberta on March 24, 1942, his mother and siblings moved to Medicine Hat shortly after the death of his father when he was 9 months old, and is where he spent his youth. If even half of his stories were true, he did indeed have an "eventful" childhood playing in the dunes and prairieland, and being the accomplice in some adventures with construction equipment and milk trucks. After graduating, Al was employed by the Bank of Nova Scotia in Medicine Hat and then in Calgary. Following one particularly cold (-90 with the wind chill) winter, he and his buddy Marv decided to cross the mountains and find somewhere warmer to live. Trail was the chosen town where he worked briefly for Cominco and then began his long Credit Union career. He met his future wife Leann and they married in 1970 because Al often stated "I convinced her I was the last man on earth!" In 1971 they welcomed their first daughter and after moving to Nelson to work at the Credit Union enjoyed the birth of their second daughter in 1973. Around that time, he realized he was going to have two teenaged girls, and started drinking scotch! In 1983 the family moved to Invermere where Al managed the Edgewater and District Credit Union until he retired in 1999. He enjoyed many travels on golf holidays with friends, and searched endlessly for a way to golf all year round. He and Leann enjoyed many wonderful holidays together exploring Japan, Europe, Mexico and in the end, Palm Springs. Palm Springs is where he realized the dream of year long golf, and for 8 years loved the life of a snowbird. Al was athletic and enjoyed fishing, waterskiing and boating, although he didn't seem to think he needed to know how to swim…. He also skied, skated, was a pool shark, played hockey, basketball, baseball, and curled, but his passion was always golf. He ended up a single digit handicap of which he was proud. Al was predeceased by his father Albert, his mother Christine and brother-in-law Robert. Left to miss his financial advice, conservative lectures and tall tales are his wife Leann, daughters Jill (Keith) and Erin, brothers Ernie (Ruth), Roy (Barb), sisters Clara and Annie, many nieces, nephews, friends and former coworkers. A memorial for Al will be held at the Windermere Golf Course in April (TBA). In lieu of flowers, Al would have liked donations to be made to STARS, a charity 'close to his heart' or to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. *MBS - Master in B.S.ing Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service. Condolences for the family can be offered at: www.mcphersonfh.com