Annetta J. “Mickey” Woitte

Annetta Jeanne (Martin) Woitte, of Midland, S.D., passed peacefully on Friday, May 26, 2017, surrounded by her family at her home. She was 87 years old.

 

Annetta “Mickey” Jeanne (Martin) Woitte, daughter of Henry and Dena (Bertelson) Martin, was born on Dec. 30, 1929, on her parents’ ranch 14 miles north and two miles west of Midland.

 

She attended grade school at Liberty School and high school at Midland Independent School located at the top of the hill in Midland. She graduated valedictorian of her class at the age of 16 and attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where she studied journalism.

 

On Feb. 25, 1948, she was united in marriage to Kandus “Shorty” Woitte in Kadoka. They lived for a short time in Milbank and Huron before permanently settling in Midland, where they welcomed eight children into their home.

 

In addition to being a full-time homemaker, she worked with her husband, Shorty, at their Texaco station on Highway 14 for 12 years. She became a postal clerk at the Midland Post Office in October 1981 and later served as the postmaster beginning August 1994 until she retired. During her tenure as postmaster, she also assisted her husband with janitorial services at Midland High School.

 

Mickey's creativity blossomed in a variety of venues, and she enjoyed painting, ceramics, wood carvings, gardening, cooking, baking, sewing, quilting and crocheting, and she loved to share her creations with all of her children and grandchildren. She was a veracious reader of all types of literature and a lover of many genres of music, which were passions she shared and passed on to her children.

 

She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church and later of the Open Bible Church in Midland. Additionally, she was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post #143, the Midland Senior Citizen's Center, The See and Do Hobby Club, the Open Bible Church Board, a Cub Scout den mother, and she re-established the Midland Parent Teachers Association. 

 

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, “Shorty” Woitte; her eight children, Kandace Nelsen of Sioux Falls, Rex Woitte (Linda) of Rapid City, Budd Woitte (Sue) of Ridgecrest, Calif., Robin Opitz (Josef) of Midland, Joseph Woitte (Alberta) of Midland, Leslee Meek (Terry) of Locust Grove, Ga., Kristin Woitte of Vancouver, Wash., and Eric Woitte (Gala) of Tea; one brother, Albert "Fuzz" Martin (Bonnie) of Philip; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.

 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Martin and Dena (Bertelson); her brothers, Henry Martin, Jr. and Herbert Martin; her sisters, Thelma Anderson and Julianna Stalley; and one grandson, Anthony Woitte.