Helen Louise Edmondson Witte, 91, died December 17, 2007 at Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend, Kansas. She was born on April 27, 1916 in Wellington, Kansas, to Thurman Canna and Grace Ruth Purdy Edmondson (both deceased). The family moved to Great Bend, Kansas, in June of 1929. Helen graduated from Great Bend High School in 1934. In high school, she loved singing in the glee club, mixed chorus and operettas. She married Edwin William Witte on November 19, 1934 in Buffalo, Oklahoma. They eloped with another couple, Georgia Grizzle and Leonard Brown. They lived on a farm in Rush County, Kansas, and raised four children; Thurman William (deceased), Donald Eugene and Samuel Lee of Great Bend, and Wreatha Ann of Memphis, Tennessee. Her husband, Edwin died in 1969. In the summer of 1958, they arranged for the family house to be moved onto a four-acre lot just outside of Great Bend's city limits (next to the city cemetery). The family house was built by William Witte (Edwin's father) in 1900. The house still sits at 1700 Heritage Lane. Helen worked as the school cook at Elm Grove County School for two years in 1953-1954 and then was employed by J. C. Penney's as a clerk in the fabric and housewares department. For over twenty-two years, she used her considerable sewing, tailoring, and home decorating skills to help thousands of customers over the years. She finished her employment years by working at Calhoun's in the 1970's. A tenacious and determined person, the reason why she went to work as a store clerk was to fund college educations for all four children. Helen took great pleasure in decorating her home and working in her gardens of iris, tulips, and peonies. She saved her rolls of dimes to make home improvement purchases. Over the years, she remodeled the home and took out closets and doors, had new ones made, wallpapered, re-carpeted, and decorated. She was a member of the First Christian Church, Great Bend and earlier in her life sang in the church choir. Survivors include two sons, Donald Eugene Witte and wife, Caroline, Great Bend, Kansas, and Samuel Lee Witte, Great Bend, Kansas; one daughter, Wreatha Ann Witte and husband, Jay Fuller, Memphis, Tennessee; eight grandchildren, Mary Ann Witte, Thurman William Witte, Jr., Kathryn Witte Farquhar, and Dorian Witte, all of Lawrence, Kansas, Deidre Lynn Witte, Great Bend, Kansas, Edwin Thomas Witte, Goddard, Kansas, Steven Bradley Witte, Portage, Michigan, and Navy E4 Christopher Ryan Witte, Great Bend, Kansas; and thirteen great-grandchildren. Additional survivors include two nephews, Jerry D. Brown, Evergreen, Colorado, and Richard E. Brown, Denver, Colorado; and one niece, Jene Smith, Winfield, Kansas. Mrs. Witte was preceded in death by a son, Thurman William Witte, and her only sister, Beatrice Edmondson Brown. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m., Friday, December 21, 2007 at Bryant Funeral Home with the Reverend William F. Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Thursday, December 20, 2007 at Bryant Funeral Home. A memorial fund in Mrs. Witte's name has been established with Barton County Relay for Life, in care of the funeral home.