Edna Mary Vite, 99, of Redbud Trail, Niles, died at 4:55 a.m. Thursday, March 4, 2010 at Westwoods of Niles of natural causes.

She was born Sept. 21, 1910 in Berrien Township to the late William H. and Julia A. (White) Walker, of a Niles area pioneer family since 1828 and was a lifetime resident.  Her mother was from a pioneer family of Kenosha, Wis. and Charles City, Iowa and a lineal descendant of Resolved White, who came to Plymouth, Mass. in 1620 on the Mayflower.

On Sept. 21, 1927, in Berrien Township she married Glenn O. Vite, who died April 15, 1974.

Edna was a loving wife, daughter, sister, mother and grandmother and a friend to everyone.  She loved flowers, her family, her church and her Heavenly Father.  She was generous and kind and always willing to help others.  She loved life.

In her youth, she attended Pucker Street School, Niles High School and Morris Chapel Methodist Church. Edna was the oldest living stockholder of the South Bend Farmer’s Market. In about 1915-1917, Edna began accompanying her father to sell farm produce on the South Bend Colfax bridge, the beginnings of the market, later located briefly on Fellows Street and then at its current location at 1105 North Side Blvd. Her father was a charter member of the market, incorporated in 1924. It was at the market she met Glenn Vite, whom she would marry and in 1928 they co-founded the Glenn Vite Farm and greenhouse, now owned and operated by their son, G. Richard. They also operated a vegetable stand at the farm for many years and owned and operated a cider mill during the 1930s and 1940s. Glenn was treasurer of the market for more than 35 years and charter member of Buchanan Co-ops and Credit Union. Together, they belonged in the 1930s to the Portage Prairie Orchestra, in which she played violin and he the clarinet.
They were members of Portage Prairie United Methodist Church. They enjoyed many winters at their winter home in Orlando, Fla. throughout their marriage and later she wintered in Clearwater and Largo, Fla. with her sister, Ruth.

She is survived by three daughters, Roberta Wesner of Buchanan, Beverly (Richard) Wilcox of Niles and Donna (Harold) Riehm of Lawrence, Kan.; three sons, G. Richard (Ruth Anne) and Jay of Niles, Jerry (Christine) of Statesville, N.C./Bonita Springs, Fla.; a sister-in-law, Irene Walker of Niles; 13 grandchildren, Brad Wesner of Buchanan, Janice Leonard and Wayne Wilcox of Niles, Joanne Walters of South Bend, Jodi Meyer of Willmar, Minn., Jami Riehm of Kansas City, Mo., Mike Riehm of Lawrence, Kan., Juli Roedel of Centennial, Colo., Sarah Foster of Kalamazoo, Susan Fritz of Mattawan, Jennifer Passig of Niles, Lori Wagner of Highlands Ranch, Colo. and Andrea Vernier of Niles; numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren and a host of other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; three sisters, Florence Walker in 1996, Maxine Wlaker in 2007 and Ruth Greene in 2009; a brother, Merle Walker in 1999; and a son-in-law, Robert Wesner in 2006.

Friends may call at Swem Chapel, Buchanan on Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 4 to 7 p.m.

The service will be at the Portage Prairie United Methodist Church on Monday, March 8 at 11 a.m. with an additional visitation one hour prior, from 10 to 11 a.m. The Rev. O’Ryan Rickard will officiate. Burial will follow at Portage Prairie Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Portage Prairie United Methodist Church, 2450 Orange Rd., Niles.

An online memory book message may be left for the family by visiting www.swemfuneralhome.com.