- Date Of Birth: April 18, 1928
- Date Of Death: June 27, 2015
- State: Texas
April 18, 1928 – June 27, 2015
Sue Beth Hanna Witt, age 87, passed away Saturday, June 27, 2015 after a long and colorful life full of adventure, good friends, and precious loved ones.
Sue was born at home in the log cabin of her parents, Cyrus and Emma (Crawford) Hanna on April 18, 1928 in Cherokee, TX. While still young, Sue, her mother, and her stepfather moved to Llano, TX. After high school graduation Sue worked as secretary to the superintendent of schools in Burnet where she said she learned the skills she would always need in her future: substitute teaching on a moment’s notice, record keeping, and selling tickets to home football games. She was probably right.
She married and delivered her son Michael Craig in 1949. She found herself a divorced mom of a young child, so she and Michael moved to Austin where she found work at the state capital. From there she moved to Houston to work the switchboard for a steamship company. After just a few months, an FBI agent called to offer her a better job; she had passed the civil service exam and could work the switchboard good enough for the FBI!
Three years later she applied at a relatively new governmental agency–NASA–which was just starting to grow in the south Houston area. Sue became the 82nd employee of NASA. She began in security, thanks in part to her job with the FBI, then worked for the legal department and was part of the Gemini and Apollo Projects. She was especially proud of her friendship with the original NASA astronauts.
Working at NASA–a highlight of her life–Sue met her true love, John Earl Witt. Their first date was a hit; John and Sue danced to Big Band music at the Hilton Hotel, starting a mutual love for the great old classics that lasted their entire lives. They married and moved to San Antonio.
A move to Boerne about 20 years ago brought her into the St. John family. She helped in the office with then-new Pastor Schulte and faithfully attended several Bible studies and Sunday School classes with John. Sue made dear friends easily, and kept up with all of them. She was famous for her good cooking–the grandkids always requested Granny’s Dr. Pepper birthday cakes. Crafting and painting also kept her busy most of her life.
Her nearest grandchildren Stan Craig (Celina, TX), and Taylor and Hunter Craig (Boerne,TX) were the center of her life. Their pictures and those of all the grand- and great-grandchildren covered most surfaces of her home, and their names and adventures were always part of her conversations. As long as she was able, Sue attended concerts, plays, ceremonies, and graduations, and she was an astute follower of world and national news. Granny Sue will long be remembered for her sparkling blue eyes, funny wit, love of Big Band music and old movies, and stories of the old days.
Sue was preceded by her husband John E. Witt. She is survived by her son Michael W. Craig (San Antonio) and stepchildren Victoria Witt Smith and husband Greg (Prescott, AZ ) and Phillip D. Witt and wife Terri (Amarillo, TX); her seven grandchildren Stan Craig (Lisa), Taylor A. Craig, Hunter W. Craig, Julian Witt, Aaron Witt (Desi), Ryan Witt, and David Witt; and great-grandchildren Garrett Craig, Alexis Craig, Brittany Craig, Dane Witt and a baby brother, and Jude Witt; and much-loved first cousin Ms. Bennie Baldwin (Tacoma, WA). We thank God for Sue’s unending love for her country, her family and many friends, and her God.
