Josephine J. Witherow Dec. 8, 1924 -Oct. 21, 2020

Josephine J. Witherow, 95, Altoona, passed away Wednesday at UPMC of Altoona. She was born in Bavaria, Germany, daughter of the late Frank and Theresa (Bichler) Dullinger. She immigrated to the United States in October 1927 at the age of three. She married William Paul Witherow on August 18, 1945 and he died Dec. 26, 1971 after 26 years of marriage. Surviving are a son, Dennis (Luann); three daughters: Kathleen Spagnoli, Marjorie Witherow, both of Altoona and Susan Swenson (Dane) of Haymarket, VA; two grandsons: Brian Swenson (Tara) of Haymarket, VA and Shaun Swenson (Jennifer) of Warrington, PA; five great-grandchildren: Rylie, Trevor and Reagan Swenson of Haymarket, VA and Carmyn and Carly Swenson of Warrington, PA; several nieces in York, PA and South Carolina and a sister-in-law, Ruth Heverly and her son, Phillip Linn. She was preceded in death by a sister, Ann Moyer, brother-in-law, Paul Moyer and son-in-law, Dan Spagnoli. Josephine was a 1942 graduate of Altoona High School. After graduation, she worked in the office of Rothert Furniture Store until she started her family in 1947. She started back to work in 1972 after her husband passed away. She was hired by the Altoona Area School District and worked in many areas in the School District before working for the Department of Special Education in 1975 in the High School Annex. She retired from the Altoona Area School District, Department of Special Education, in 1993 after 22 years of service. She was a lifetime member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Altoona, as well as a member of Blair County Association of School Retirees, St. Mary’s Altar Society, Penelec Omega Club, Blair Senior Service Volunteer at Washington/Jefferson and Juniata Gap Schools in the Gifted Program, Altoona Area Food Bank and Priority Care of the Altoona Hospital.

Josephine enjoyed her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved playing pinochle and going on bus trips with her friends of many years. She loved working in her garden of vegetables and flowers. She also enjoyed watching Penn State and Pittsburgh Steelers football and the Pittsburgh Pirates. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, officiated by Fr. Lubomir Strecok. Committal will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery of Altoona. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN. 38105, stjude.org/give or in the form of Masses. Arrangements by The Stevens Mortuary, Inc., 1421 Eighth Ave., Altoona, Pa. Condolences may be made at stevensfamilyfuneralhomes.com or Stevens Family Funeral Homes Facebook.