Joanne Wittenborg Obituary

Joanne Louise
(Bandow) Wittenborg, born Aug. 13, 1927, died peacefully at her home in Richfield, Thursday, March 16, 2017.
    Wittenborg was born in Rochester and raised on the grounds of what is now the Mayo Foundation House, where her father was a horticulturist and groundskeeper for Dr. William Mayo.
    She was a paraplegic for much of her life following a car accident as a teenager.
    Mayo family members took a personal interest in her recovery and she credited their care with influencing her future career as a speech clinician. In recent years she was interviewed as one of the few people alive who remembered the Mayo Brothers.
    Joanne worked for the St. Paul Rehab Center and Lake City Public Schools before retiring in Richfield. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Richard.
    She is survived by her children, Jan (Steve) Kirchner, John  (Marjorie) Wittenborg and Andrew (Anne) Wittenborg, six  grandchildren, Eric (Kate) Kirchner, Scott (Morgan) Kirchner,  Laura (Jon) Gilmore, Jack (Shelby) Wittenborg  Elizabeth Wittenborg and Will Wittenborg; three great-grandchildren, Maeve, Cecilia and Payton Kirchner.
    Memorial service is Tuesday, March 21, at 11 a.m. at Richfield United Methodist Church in   Minneapolis, followed by a luncheon. Visitation is one hour prior to the service. Burial will be a later date in Lake City. Memorials may be given to Richfield United Methodist Church.
     Morris Nilsen Chapel of Richfield is handling arrangements. www.morrisnilsen.com.