Patricia Marie Witte-Rodemeyer
Patricia Marie Witte-Rodemeyer
GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. — Patricia Marie Witte-Rodemeyer passed away April 21, 2025 at Canyon Valley Memory Care in Green Valley, Ariz. She was born November 22, 1937 in Chicago, to Durward and Dorothy Chase.
She was the oldest of nine children. Surviving are seven brothers and sisters: Durward Chase, Jr. (Debbie), Escanaba; Camille Bell (Walter), Seymour, Wis.; Peter Chase, Escanaba; Charlotte Ray (Thomas), Bark River; Angie Derouin (David), Little Lake, Mich.; Rosemary Salmi (Bruce), Appleton, Wis.; and Vern Chase, Marquette.
Patricia graduated from Bark River-Harris High School and went to work at Michigan Bell Telephone the day after she graduated. She was employed there for 12 years. During that time she attended Northern Michigan University and Bay De Noc Community College to get her degrees in Business Management and Criminal Justice. She started her career in Law Enforcement as special investigator for the County Prosecutors Office in 1968.
During that time she and her husband Carl, bought a motel and transformed it into a hunting and fishing lodge/truck stop. She and Carl were married 30 years and had three sons: Mark K. Witte (Theresa), Tucson, Ariz.; Gregg D. Witte (Kelly Jo), Park Falls, Wis.; and Martin D. Witte (Elizabeth Kyre), Warren, Mich.
Her grandchildren are Retired USMC Gunnery Sergeant, Mark Witte II; Retired USMC Sergeant Matthew Witte (Nicole); and Jesse Witte (Faye).
After moving to Green Valley in 1981, she invested and rented villas and started a restaurant known as the Lunch Basket in the Continental Mall. It was two years later that she met Jim Rodemeyer. He was her first customer in the morning. She said “It made my day” when he walked in the door. They were married a year later at The Risen Savior Church. She sold the restaurant and in 1987 and moved to Corona de Tucson where they built a bakery and sandwich shop. They had almost reached their Silver Wedding Anniversary when Jim passed away in 2012. Her combined family had grown to three sons, one stepson, one stepdaughter, 19 grandchildren, and several great- and great-great-grandchildren.
Besides being preceded in death by Jim, were her sister, Marguerite McNivin; her parents, Durward and Dorothy Chase; her grandparents, Angeline and Peter Westerdahl with whom she was very close to.
Trish was a talented artist. In high school, she won the contest for drawing the Broncos school mascot and continued to create beautiful drawings and watercolor paintings throughout her life.
She was very active in church, teaching Sunday School, a room mother while her boys were in grade school, and PTA board member. She was awarded Business Woman of the Year, Escanaba, MI in 1977. She was Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Director of the food bank in Heber/Overgaard, Ariz. and also on the library and fire board in Overgaard. Member of Soroptimist and Rotary, Green Valley day manager at the White Elephant, President of the Continental Merchants Association and Adjutant for Marine League 1126. She often commented on all she had accomplished in her life, “It kept me out of trouble!”
Her family was her proudest accomplishment. She was very proud of her boys and often remarked the Lord truly blessed her and her family.
A private funeral was held at Green Valley Mortuary Gardens, where she was interred next to Jim.