Ellenene Witt Libertyville, Illinois, Formerly of Des Moines Ellenene Witt passed away on Friday, August 24, 2012, at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Illinois, at the age of 94. She was born on August 9, 1918, to John and Matie (Jensen) Kusel of Audubon, Iowa. Ellenene grew up on the family farm southeast of Manning and attended Lincoln No. 5 country school.

After graduating from high school, she moved to Des Moines and then to Chicago where she worked for Western Union until the end of World War II. She then returned to Des Moines and was employed by Economy Forms Corp. (EFCO) until 1962, when she married Wilson H. Witt. The couple moved from Des Moines to Mesa, Arizona, in 1976. Upon the death of her husband, Ellenene returned to Des Moines and resided there until moving to Galesburg, Illinois, in 2007 to live at the home of her step-daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Alan Knox.

Ellenene loved music and played the organ. She also enjoyed playing cards and was a formidable opponent.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; brothers, Garland Kusel of Altoona and Marion Kusel of Des Moines; and sisters, Nellie Deahl, Annie Johnson, and Elaine Cain, all of Des Moines.

She is survived by her sister, Jacqueline Donovan of Kansas City, Missouri; step-daughters, Judy Knox (Alan) of Libertyville, Illinois, and Carol Sue McKenzie (Joe) of Ridgecrest, California; four step-grandchildren; ten step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held 10 a.m., Wednesday, August 29, 2012, at Hamilton's near Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery, 121 NW 60th Avenue, Des Moines, with a visitation time for one hour prior to the service.
Online condolences to: www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.