L. Joe Wittenauer

Joe Wittenauer passed away peacefully on Thursday January 22, 2026, at Elmwood Assistant Living in Hubbard.

He was born April 21, 1935, in Youngstown, the son of the late Vincent William and Catherine Veronica Walsh Wittenauer.

Joe graduated from St. Vincent Prep School in 1958, Ohio University in 1962, and graduate studies in 1969 at Wright State University. While at Grad school Joe taught English, Latin, History and Government at several Universities. Joe then entered government service in 1972 as an item manager and purchasing agent for the Defenses Electronic Supply System. In 1978 Joe transferred to Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a contract negotiator  for the Aeronautical Equipment  and Life Support  and Chemical Defenses Division, followed by transferring to the Training Systems Product Group F-16 Training Systems for the countries of Greece and Egypt.  He finished his career in government service in 2004 as a contract negotiator.  Joe enjoyed traveling all over the world with his family, water and snow skiing and following Dayton area as well as his great nieces and nephews’ sport teams.  He leaves to cherish his memory his nieces Denise Harnishfeger Sedgwick, Phyllis (Michael) Manning and Agnes  (Jeffrey) Schauer, Mary Kay (Dean) Bulmer and nephew John (Michele) Wittenauer and several great and great-great nieces and nephews.  Along with his parents, Joe is preceded in death by sister Bernice (Byron) Harnishfeger, Jr., brother William (Mary Jo) Wittenauer and nephews Karl Harnishfeger and Byron Harnishfeger III.

Family and friends may call from 9:30 to 10:30 Saturday February 7, 2026, at the Fox Funeral Home, Boardman, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 A.M. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish St. Charles Church. 

He will be laid to rest next to his parents at Calvary Cemetery.  Material tributes can be made in Joe’s memory to St. Vincent College, 300 Fraser Purchase Rd, Latrobe, PA, 15650.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Edward J. Fox & Sons Funeral Home, 4700 Market St. Boardman.

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