LaNell Sue Witham, 78, of Airport Road in Niles passed away at Memorial Hospital in South Bend on Oct. 16, 2010.

LaNell was born on Nov. 5, 1931 to the late Arthur and Lela Mae (Taylor) Grant in Bruceton, Tennessee.

LaNell met Ben Witham in 1987 and they have enjoyed 23 wonderful years together. LaNell was a very active woman; she loved to tend to her flower garden, go fishing, camping, do crafts and dance. In her younger years she competed in dance and that is how she met Ben, dancing at the Eagles in Portage, Mich.  LaNell was also an avid antique hunter who traveled all over Michigan and Indiana. LaNell was also an amazing cook, she had the best ribs around. Most of all LaNell wanted to spend her time doing anything that let her spend time with her family.

She loved spending time with her grandchildren, great grandchildren and family.

LaNell is preceded in death by her parents, son Bob Spitler and brother Harold Grant.

She is survived by her loving husband Ben, children Cathy (Ron) Curtis of Three Rivers, Debbie (Bob) Langmaack of Charlotte, Mich., Retha (Mark) Popielski of Dugger, Ind., Becky Harvey of Terra Haute, Ind. and Regina Harvey of Elkhart, grandchildren Shawn (Denise) Matson of Three Rivers, Autumn and Austin Garvison of Charlotte, Lindy (Dusty) Brewer of Dugger, Indiana, Michaela, Mary and Elizabeth Popielski of Dugger and Jason (Autumn) Spitler of Niles eight great grandchildren with one on the way and sister-in-law June Grant-Cox of Colfax, Ind.

A memorial service to honor LaNell’s life will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010 at 1 p.m. at Mission Hills Memorial Chapel.

Memorial donations may be made in LaNell’s memory to the American Heart Association.
Those wishing to leave messages, photos or condolences for the family may do so at www.brownfuneral homeniles.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home and Cremation Services and Mission Hills Memorial Chapel.