Notes:

Buffalo News - 1/24/09

Christopher D. Witmer, translator, worked in Tokyo since 1980
November 24, 2009, 7:06 AM

Nov. 1, 1960—Oct. 15, 2009

A memorial service for Christopher Drew Witmer of Tokyo, Japan, an expert translator and a former Alden resident, will be held at 2 p. m. Friday in Millgrove Bible Church, 11517 Genesee St., Alden. He died Oct. 15 when a vehicle struck him as he bicycled to work in Tokyo.

He attended Calisanctius School in Buffalo, was a graduate of Alden High School and studied at Cornell University, St. John’s University, the University of Toledo and the University at Buffalo, where he studied linguistics and Japanese.

A resident of Tokyo since 1980, he used his expertise in Japanese and English for various translation projects and traveled the world as personal interpreter and assistant to the president of the Erina Co., a health and beauty products company.

Surviving are his wife of 23 years, Hiroko; seven daughters, Kristen, Stephanie, Cumi, Irene, Sophia, Alethea and Charissa; his mother, Marilyn B.; two brothers, John III and Michael; and three sisters, Pamela Mason, Jennifer Norris and Danielle Garas.

Family/Spouse: Hiroko. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. WITMER, Charissa
2. WITMER, Cumi
3. WITMER, Irene
4. WITMER, Sophia
5. WITMER, Alethea
6. WITMER, Kristen
7. WITMER, Stephanie

Notes:

WITMER - John T., WWII veteran engineer
6/30/2005 - Buffalo News


John T. Witmer, a retired structural and aerospace engineer and Army Air Forces veteran of World War II, died Tuesday in his Alden home after a lengthy illness. He was 81.

A Buffalo native, Mr. Witmer grew up in Williamsville and was a graduate of Williamsville High School. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he also was an instructor and head of the Structural Model Laboratory.

During his career, he participated in more than 1,400 projects, including pollution control, harnessing tidal power, cooling systems for nuclear and coal-fired power generation plants, portable radar towers, as well as several bridges throughout Western New York and suspension bridges in Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio.

As an aerospace engineer with Bell Aerosystems for many years, he designed spacecraft heat shields for re-entry, the precursors to systems used on space shuttles. He also worked for other engineering concerns and as a consultant, retiring in the mid-1990s.

Mr. Witmer was a descendant of Tobias Witmer, a surveyor for the Holland Land County, during the early 19th century.

During World War II, Mr. Witmer served in the Army Air Forces' 765th Bombardment Squadron in Italy as a bomb sight mechanic. He rose to the rank of corporal.

Mr. Witmer was active in community affairs and served as chairman of the Village of Alden Planning Board for 27 years. He also was town engineer for five years.

Mr. Witmer and his wife of 58 years, the former Marilyn "Lynn" Booth, were active members of Amherst Dance Club for 25 years and served on the board of directors for 12 years. They were also actively involved with the Edelweiss Ski Touring Club for 25 years, traveling extensively throughout the United States and abroad.

Mr. Witmer's other interests included environmental conservation, ballroom dancing, cross-country skiing, gardening and bridge.

He enjoyed corresponding on issues and current events with The Buffalo News and Alden Advertiser. Survivors besides his wife include three sons, John of Carlsbad, Calif., Michael of Pomona, Calif., and Christopher of Tokyo; three daughters, Pamela Mason of Glennville, Pa., Jennifer Norris of Alden and Danielle Garas of Clarence; a brother, Walter of East Aurora; 21 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

John married BOOTH, Marilyn on 19 Jul 1947. Marilyn (daughter of BOOTH, Raymond A and ROOT, Mildred V) was born on 25 May 1928 in Buffalo, Erie County, NY; died on 20 Dec 2021 in Cheektowaga, Erie County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

WITMER - Marilyn "Lynn"
December 30, 2021, of Cheektowaga, NY, formerly of Alden, NY, at age 93 following a brief illness. Beloved wife of 57 years of the late John T. Witmer, Jr. Devoted mother of John T. III (Karen Litwack) of Carlsbad, CA; Pamela (Stuart) Mason of Glenville, PA; Michael G., of Claremont, CA; and Jennifer (Paul) Norris of Alden, NY. Predeceased by Christopher (Hiroko) of Tokyo, Japan, and Danielle (John) Garas of Clarence, NY. Loving grandmother of 21, great-grandmother of 19 and great-great-grandmother of one. Born Marilyn Booth, Lynn was a 1946 graduate of Amherst High School. After raising her six children, she earned a degree in dental hygiene (ECC, 1971) and a teaching certificate (SUNY Brockport, 1971), and a BS in health science education (UB, 1979). She became an instructor in the dental auxiliary training program at the UB School of Dental Medicine (1976-78) and a dental hygienist and assistant in the Children's Hospital Dental Clinic (1980-87). She was a dental hygienist with Barzman, Kazimov & Vieth for five years before retiring in 1993. Please see the full obituary at: www.jerfh.com A celebration of Lynn's life will be held in the spring. Donations in her memory may be made to Hospice Foundation, PO Box 590, Buffalo, NY 14240-0590.

John married LEFFLER, Marie Viola in 1923 in Buffalo, Erie County, NY. Marie (daughter of LEFFLER, Michael F and SCHMIDT, Susan T) was born on 11 Apr 1899 in Buffalo, Erie County, NY; died on 4 Feb 1994 in General Hospital, Buffalo, Erie County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Raymond married ROOT, Mildred V about 1920. Mildred was born about 1885 in FL; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Living in Williamsville in 1908

Abraham married STRANGE, Vinetta May Bell on 31 Oct 1893 in St Louis, MO. Vinetta (daughter of STRANGE, John and Nancy A) was born on 20 Sep 1870 in Mattoon, IL; died on 17 Feb 1955 in Williamsville, Erie County, NY; was buried in WIlliamsville Cemetery, Williamsville, Erie County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Michael + SCHMIDT, Susan T. Susan was born on 11 Apr 1876 in New York; died in Jun 1977 in Buffalo, Erie County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]