William A. Witt

1946 – 2013

HARTLAND — William A. Witt, 66, of Harmony, met “The Great Spirit,” while doing one of the things he loved the most — fishing on Great Moose Lake in Hartland, a place where he found peace and tranquility.

Bill was born in Boston on Nov. 28, 1946, the son of Eugene Witt and Myrtle Preble. He attended Boston Trade School and joined the Marine Corps in April 1965.

He arrived in Da Nang and Quan Thi Provence in early 1967. At 20 years old, he earned the rank of sargent and was sent to Khe Sanh in March 1967, where he and his company fought in The Siege. His company was “wiped out,” as he called it, with all but two of his men and himself surviving.

While living in Massachusetts, he raced NASCAR modified division and also owned and operated Bill’s Auto Body Shop.

Bill moved to Maine in June 2001, where he purchased his “exactly right camp.” Prior to marrying his wife, he built on several additions to make their camp and home. His land was filled with deer, bear, lots of bunnies and an occasional moose. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and shot an eight-point buck in his backyard the first year he was in Harmony. He formed the unofficial “Shoot and Release Bunny Club” with other hunters whom he admired and loved. His favorite little hunting buddy was Maverick Rice of Harmony.

On Aug. 6, 2005, he married his wife, Holly DiTata. He recently told his friends, “My circle is complete. I have a wife who loves me as no other one had, and I love her equally. I am the happiest I have ever been.”

He enjoyed riding his Harley with his wife covering his back. He recently restored a 1965 GTO and was in the process of restoring a five-window coupe for his wife.

He was proud of his German heritage, but most proud of his Penobscot Indian ancestry.

He belonged to the Cambridge Masonic Lodge in Cambridge and held the position of junior warden. He made Mason at the Keystone Lodge in Solon.

Bill also belonged to the GTO Association of Maine, the Harley Hogs, Khe Sanh Association, Disabled American Veterans, Harmony Heart of Gold Snowmobile Club, life member of the American Hunters and Shooters Association and the Big Buck Club.

He is survived by his wife, Holly Witt, of Harmony; his son, Derek Witt and his wife, Vicky, of Deltona, Fla.; son, Christien Witt of Land O’ Lakes, Fla.; his daughter, Crystal Wygal of New Castle, Pa.; two stepdaughters, Rebecca Garland of Suffolk, Va., and Jodi Dude of Acworth, Ga.; stepson, Anthony Dube of Chapel Hill, N.C.; his grandchildren, Kayleigh and Sareigha Witt, Alexander Orion Witt, Nicholas and Jackson Garland, Andre and John Dube and Ricky Santiago; his sister, Elaine White and her husband, Peter, of Richmond; and sister-in-law, Vicki Souther, of Livermore Falls.

He was predeceased by his parents, Eugene Witt and Myrtle Preble; and a sister, Linda Witt.

He leaves behind many dear friends whom he loved and cared about deeply as they did for him. Many memories will be shared of Bill for many years, especially by his bunny-hunting friends.