Erwin ‘Erv’ H. Witte Jr.

Erwin “Erv” Herman Witte Jr. peacefully passed away at his Adell home on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at the age of 72.

Erv was born in Port Washington, Wis., on Aug. 17, 1948, to Erwin and Marian (Tetzlaff) Witte.

Erv grew up in Grafton, being confirmed in his faith from St. John Lutheran Church and graduating high school from Grafton High School with the Class of 1966. He was a member of Lakefield 4-H Club and grew up farming, helping his grandpa Herman on the family dairy farm.

After graduating high school, Erv volunteered for the draft and enlisted in the U.S. Army. At age 19, he completed basic training at Fort Campbell, Ky., and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles division.

Once he completed his training as a combat infantry medic, he was shipped to Vietnam in March 1968. After being there for only three months and while on patrol, he was wounded with a booby-trapped grenade. He was awarded a Purple Heart.

Once he recovered, he finished out his remaining 14 months at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was honorably discharged five days after his 21st birthday in 1969.

Once home from the war, Erv worked as a postal carrier in the City of Cedarburg for a number of years before coming back to his love of farming. He operated Misty Dawn Dairy Farm in the Town of Grafton for eight years.

His love for farming never stopped as he transitioned into a career as a milk hauler. This is where he truly was happy, driving  a truck and talking with the farmers. He drove a milk truck for 45 years.

He started driving for A.W. Boettcher and Son in Grafton, then went on to drive for his good friend Larry at Cedarburg Milk Transit and finished off his milk hauling career with Cedar Valley Cheese. He was retired for a short time and re-entered the workforce, hauling whey for Horning Trucking for a few years before finally retiring for good.

Erv married Virginia “Ginny” Yoho on Dec. 14, 1991, at Zion United Methodist Church, Batavia, Wis.

The couple made their home in Adell, where Erv enjoyed deer hunting, pheasant hunting, spending hours on his lawn mower cutting his lawn and since last summer enjoying rides with Ginny on their Harley Ultra Classic Trike.

Farming remained a constant in his life as he hobby farmed and often bragged about how fast his soybeans were growing. Most nights you could find him relaxing by his bonfire, enjoying an ice cold PBR and loudly listening to his favorite classic country songs.

His love for his country did not end with his service in Vietnam. He served as commander of the Random Lake V.F.W. Post until it disbanded in fall of 2020. He was also an active member of the Russell W. Mulder American Legion Post #462 in Adell and recently became a new member of the V.F.W. World’s Cheese Center Post #5612 in Plymouth.

Erv also served as a guardian for a fellow veteran on a Stars and Stripes Honor Flight and on May 11, 2019, he was able to be honored himself as a veteran when he went on his own Honor Flight with his daughter Stacy acting as his guardian.

Erv is survived by his loving wife Virginia; his daughters Stacy (Pete) Becker of Port Washington and Mackenzie (Zach) Dommer of Belgium; his grandchildren Michael and Emma Becker; his mother Marian Witte of Grafton; his mother-in-law Sylvia Yoho of Grafton; his sisters Diane (Dave) Robishaw and Nancy (Henry) Freier; his sisters-in-law Lynn (Steve) Brown, Shirley (Tom) Dekker, Sara Yoho (friend John) and Kristine Neuenfeld (the late Mark); and brothers-in-law Steve Yoho, Ken (Jane) Yoho, Bob Yoho and Neal (Gayle) Yoho. He is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.

Erv was preceded in death by his father Erwin O. Witte, his father-in-law Dean Yoho, his grandfather Herman Tetzlaff Sr.,  step-grandmother Louise Tetzlaff, grandmother Hedwig Tetzlaff, uncle Herman Tetzlaff, Jr. and grandmother-in-law Ida Mae Jones.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2021, at 4 p.m. at Zion United Methodist Church, N1667 Hwy. 28, Adell, WI.  

A visitation will take place prior to the service from noon until 3:45 p.m.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight are appreciated.  

To send online condolences to the Witte family, please visit www.muellerfuneral.