Obituary of Marlene M. Wittendorf

Marlene M. Wittendorf, 83 of Limerick Township, passed away peacefully on October 21, 2024, at Pottstown Hospital with her husband, son and his wife by her side.  Born on April 18, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Grace (Anderson) Ogden.

Marlene went to Bremen High School in Midlothian, Illinois graduating in 1959.  She then pursued her degree attending the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Navy Pier campus (1960-62) and later at the main campus in Champaign-Urbana, IL (1963).  It was here where she met her future husband Bob through a mutual friend their first week on campus.

From 1963 to 1966, Marlene worked as a proofreader for Coronet Instructional Films in Chicago; married Bob in September of 1964; and they returned to college to complete their respective degrees the following year at Michigan State University.  In 1966, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with a minor in Spanish.  

In 1966, they relocated to Pennsylvania in the West Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia following Bob’s employment with SmithKline & French Laboratories.  While living in Philadelphia, Marlene became a substitute teacher in the Philadelphia School District and a contract proofreader at Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Company.

In 1969, they moved to the suburbs, where they bought a 200-year-old farmhouse in Linfield, PA.  This was where they lived for 7 years and where their sons, Eric and Owen, were born.  She devoted her time as a loving homemaker, caring for her family while also being active in her community participating in the opposition to the newly announced construction of the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant.  Marlene organized rallies and marched on Washington, DC in support for their group.  She was also the chairperson of Limerick Township’s celebration of our country’s Bicentennial.  She orchestrated the march by the townspeople from the Limerick Fire House to the UCC Church on South Limerick Road.  Marlene had metal candle lanterns made, and on that evening, community members marched with them from the fire house to the church where they were handed to Limerick firemen who hung them on the church’s great oak tree.

In 1978, the family relocated within the township, to a custom designed built house that featured the ambience of their 200-year-old home.  She continued as a homemaker raising her sons, keeping their home and caring for their pets while her husband Bob worked and attended night school in Philadelphia.

Marlene was an animal and nature lover.  Their residence is listed as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation due to her lifelong feeding of birds, deer and other wildlife at their wooded refuge.  Before her sons were born, she showed basset hounds in AKC sanctioned events, and they had a menagerie of pets including dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and a turtle over 50+ years.  She adored her many cats and bonded with them as they were her sofa and bed companions.  She mostly enjoyed spending time with family and friends.  So many people, from teenagers to adults, knew Marlene and revered the social gatherings at their home.  Meeting and hosting these groups gave her great joy.

She loved traveling.  Marlene and Bob would travel by automobile to New England, Virginia, Washington (both the state and D.C), the Southwest, Texas and all places in between.  Marlene was a lover of the English language and was an avid reader enjoying both novels and periodicals alike.  She always kept herself apprised of current events, mostly through the New York Times, Sunday edition.

Marlene is survived by her beloved husband of 60 years, Robert Wittendorf; her two children, Eric (Jen) Wittendorf and Owen Wittendorf; and her four grandchildren, Erin, Jake, Ella, and Zach.  She is also remembered by her six cousins who recently reunited after decades long search for her.

Online condolences and memorial donations can be made at www.sgsfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Marlene’s memory to the National Wildlife Federation at nwf.org.

A celebration of life will be held at Copperfield Inn at Lakeside in Limerick, PA on Saturday November 2nd from 11:00 – 3:00PM.  The event will begin with the commemoration of Marlene followed by lunch.   The family welcomes all who knew her to join and share in this gathering and encourages those who have a memory or story about her to share their interaction in dedication to the special woman she was.  The family asks those who plan to attend the luncheon to contact the Eric Wittendorf at ericwitt360@gmail.com.  Responses are requested by Wednesday evening, October 30th for the luncheon final headcount. In celebration of Marlene, we kindly request that attendees dress in casual attire. Formal wear such as suits and ties is not necessary, as we aim to honor her life in a relaxed and meaningful atmosphere.