L. Joseph Wittenauer 1935-2026

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 Defense Electronics 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 the Dayton area as well as his great-nieces and great-nephews’ sports teams.

Left to cherish Joe’s memory are his nieces, Denise Harnishfeger Sedgwick, Phyllis (Michael) Manning, Agnes (Jeffrey) Schauer and Mary Kay (Dean) Bulmer; and nephew, John (Michele) Wittenauer; and several great- and great-great-nieces and great- and great-great-nephews.

Along with his parents, Joe was preceded in death by sister, Bernice (Byron Jr.) Harnishfeger; brother, William (Mary Jo) Wittenauer; and nephews, Karl Harnishfeger and Byron Harnishfeger III.

Family and friends may call 9:30 to 10:30 Saturday, Feb. 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 in Calvary Cemetery.

Material tributes can be made in Joe’s memory to St. Vincent College, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650.

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

Family and friends may visit www.foxfuneralhome.org to view this obituary and to give condolences to the family.

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