Raymond Witt

TEXAS — r. Raymond Ramsey Witt, one of Houston’s longest serving and beloved surgeons, died on May 8, 2019, his 91st birthday. He was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., the second of six children, to Hazel Wilkinson Witt and Walter Andrew Witt on May 8, 1928. He started working at the local post office when he was 12 years old. After a year at Vanderbilt University, he left to serve in the Army, stationed in Rome, Italy in World War II. When he returned home, he completed his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt in 1950, with Phi Beta Kappa and cum laude honors. Vanderbilt’s School of Medicine, which admitted him after three years of undergraduate work, awarded his medical degree in 1953. Dr. Witt then completed an internship at the University of Iowa and entered the rigorous residency program at Baylor College of Medicine, training under renowned heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey and serving as one of his chief residents. For 57 years, Dr. Witt practiced surgery in Wharton, Texas and Houston, performing countless complex procedures and prolonging the lives of many grateful patients. Dr. Witt loved medicine, his patients, and his dedicated staff and colleagues. He served several summers as a camp doctor at Kanakuk Kamps, and he even performed surgery on the family cat. He reluctantly retired at age 82. Dr. Witt also had a lifelong interest in pecan growing, owning and operating a pecan orchard in Wharton for many years, and he was an avid hunter and skier. Remembering his life are his loving wife of 47 years, Ann Lipscomb Witt; his six grateful children and their families, Margaret Witt Neblett (spouse Andrew, children Kelsey, Lauren, Connor, and Jack; grandchildren Lily and Theo), Marcia Eckhardt Witt (spouse Christi), Ellen Witt Ortiz (spouse Carlos, children Breck and Alexa), Raymond Ramsey Witt Jr., Emily Witt Horne (spouse John, children Georgina and Margot), Susan Witt Neath (spouse Charlie, children Andrew, Ruby, and Nola); and his siblings and their families, Hazen Wilkinson Witt, Richard Hughes Witt, and Mary Jean “Bo” Witt Jackson (spouse Ed, children Scott and Jeffrey). Preceding him in death are his parents, brother Walter Andrew Witt, Jr., sister Geraldine Amelia Witt, and wife Marcia Eckhardt Witt. A memorial service commemorating his life will be held at at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15 at Second Baptist Church (Hankamer Chapel), 6400 Woodway Drive, Houston, Texas, 77057. A family graveside burial will take place at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For those wishing to make a memorial donation, please consider the Memorial Hermann Foundation at www.memorialhermann.org/donate or by mail to 929 Gessner Road, Suite 2650, Houston, TX 77024. Arrangements are by the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road, East Ridge, TN 37412. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.