In Loving Memory of Frederick L. Wittman

Frederick L. Wittman, 85, of Stone Park, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on June 27, 2026, surrounded by the love and devoted care of his family after a courageous ten-year journey with Parkinson's disease.

Born on December 5, 1940, in Great Bend, Kansas, Fred was the son of Frederick and Linda Christina (Tittel) Wittman. As the youngest child and only son, he grew up surrounded by sisters, an experience that helped shape the family man he would become.

Fred was preceded in death by his beloved wife, JoAnn Wittman (née Jenkins); his parents; his sons, Frederick Jr. and Rick; his sisters; and many family members and friends who welcomed him home.

He is survived by his children: Ken (Tiffany) Wittman, Melody (Jerry) Rehor, Brian (Geri) Wittman, Christin (Shane), Sabrina (Jamie) Sterling, and Linda (Jeff) Oxarart-Lyden; his grandchildren, Eleanor Joann and Becky Rehor; his great-grandchildren, Cassian Seiber and Aaliyah Seiber; and many extended family members and dear friends.

Fred began his career working alongside his father as a carpenter before spending many years as an accountant with Aon and later as a tax preparer with H&R Block. After taking an early retirement while his younger children were still in elementary school, he found joy caring for the grounds at Walther Lutheran High School, taking pride in maintaining its football field, baseball diamonds, softball fields, and track. By the end of every summer, he wore the unmistakable two-toned farmer's tan of someone who loved working outdoors—and usually socks with sandals, a combination his family never let him forget.

If you knew Fred, you knew he loved sports. A devoted Chicago White Sox fan who also enjoyed listening to Pittsburgh Pirates games on the AM radio, he rarely passed up an opportunity to turn on the ballgame. He also enjoyed westerns, fishing, bowling, boxing, and never turned down cookies or a bowl of ice cream.

His family will forever smile remembering his ongoing battles with the computer. Whether he was playing Hearts, Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, or Minesweeper, Fred was convinced it was cheating. No one could convince him otherwise.

Every Christmas, one of Fred's favorite traditions was loading up the younger children, driving around to look at Christmas lights, sipping hot chocolate, and giving their mom time to wrap Santa gifts. Years later, many of his children carried that tradition into their own families, proving that some of life's greatest memories come from the simplest moments.

The soundtrack of family car rides wasn't music—it was sports on the AM radio. And when it wasn't a game, it was country music. His children may have rolled their eyes then, but somewhere along the way those broadcasts and songs became part of them. Years later, they still find themselves reaching for country music and smiling, knowing exactly where that love began.

Thanks for that, Dad.

Fred spent countless hours helping with school research projects, teaching his children to drive, driving them to practices and games, and coaching both formally and informally from the sidelines and the dugout. Passionate, competitive, and more often than not the loudest voice at the ballpark, he expected the most from his own children. It wasn't because he loved them less, but because he believed in them. Many of life's greatest lessons weren't learned from the scoreboard, but from the father standing beside it.

He laughed loudly, loved deeply, and lived with a determination that left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.

Like every life, Fred's story was made up of many chapters. Those who knew him at different times knew different versions of him. But one truth remained constant:

When Fred loved, he loved hard.

And through the traditions, lessons, and memories he leaves behind, that love lives on.

During the final decade of his life, Fred faced Parkinson's disease with remarkable perseverance. Through doctor's appointments, hospital stays, rehabilitation, setbacks, victories, and ultimately hospice care, he fought with a quiet determination that inspired everyone around him. By example, he taught his family that resilience isn't about never falling down—it's about getting back up, again and again.

His legacy lives on in the lessons he taught, the stories that continue to be told, and the people he loved so deeply. Every time a baseball game crackles over the radio, a country song comes on, or someone jokingly insists that the computer is cheating, those who knew him will smile and think of Fred.

Rest easy, Dad. You earned your wings.

We'll carry you with us always.

Your story lives on in ours.

Family and friends will be received at the Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Rd., Westchester on Thursday July 9, 2026 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. All will meet Friday at Memory Gardens Cemetery, 2501 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, IL, for an 11:00 a.m. Interment. In lieu of flowers, plants are welcome, or memorials to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, are appreciated. For funeral info: 708-562-5900.