Elizabeth (Betty) Constance (Cravitz) Witt passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, November 10, 2008. She was 81 years old and had experienced a short illness with breast cancer. Services Friday night will begin with a rosary at 6:00 followed by a visitation and celebration of Betty's life at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, 407 N.E. 5th Street, Ava, MO. Please bring your stories to share about Betty. The Funeral Mass will be Saturday at 10:00am at St Leo's the Great Catholic Church Jefferson Street/ Old Hwy 5. Graveside services will follow at the Ava Cemetery.

Elizabeth, or "Betty" as most called her, was born February 14, 1927 to George and Mary Cravitz in Shickshinny, PA, where she was raised on a farm by simple and loving parents. She graduated from Kings County Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn, New York as one of the first members of the Army Cadet Nurse Corps. She later joined the Air Force, serving two years as a First Lieutenant. She met her future husband, John, in the hospital while serving as his nurse. After several military transfers with her husband and family, she moved to Ava in 1969 from Cheyenne, Wyoming. She worked as a Nurse in the Mansfield Hospital and Chastain Nursing Home in Ava. Betty was a lifelong learner receiving her Doctorate in Naturopathy in 1997. She was a healer for many people in her lifetime.

Betty had a strong faith and involved God in every day of her life. She was determined in her purpose and had a phenomenal work ethic. She had many talents including sewing, crafts of any type, upholstering and gardening. She volunteered at the Heart of the Hills Food Pantry in Ava since its inception.

Betty was a dear mother to her ten children and many other people throughout her life. Betty was a wonderful Bochie (Grandma) hosting several summer "Boot Camps" for the grandkids. She raised her children with a firm but loving hand. She believed she "could do anything if she just put her mind to it." Betty was a "rock" not only to her friends at St. Leo's church in Ava, but to numerous people in the Ava Community.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Paul Witt; her father George Cravitz, her mother Mary Cravitz, eight sisters, one brother and her most recent loss, Woody, (the family pet)! Elizabeth is survived by ten children: John Witt of Lake St. Louis and his wife, Pat; Tina Talbert of Springfield, MO and her husband, Keith; Cheryl Orr of Lee's Summit, MO and her husband, Bob; Darlene Petty of Brighton, MO and her husband, Randy; Diane Cunningham of Overland Park, KS and her husband, Bill; Dan Witt of Kansas City, MO and his wife, Bonnie; Jeff Witt of Mullins, South Carolina; Rod Witt of Nixa, MO and his wife, Sheryl; Clay Witt of McKinney, Texas and his wife, Stacy; Anita Madche of Ava, MO and her husband, Ray; 21 loving grandchildren; her sister, Barbara Wasilko; and a large extended family.

Donations can be made in Betty's name to Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Heifer Project International or St. Leo the Great Catholic Church of Ava. Please send donations in care of Clinkingbeard Funeral Home.