Anita Ann Wittig

Anita Ann Wittig passed away on January 5, 2022 surrounded by her loving family after a long courageous battle from early onset Alzheimer's at the age 71. Anita was born on August 14, 1950, in Canton, OH to her loving parents, Alphonse and Martha Rizk. Anita moved with her family to Riverside in 1960 where she attended local schools and graduated from Ramona High School in 1968. After graduation, Anita moved to Oceanside, CA and welcomed her daughter Leisa in 1969 with her former husband Ray Verrett. Anita returned to Riverside in 1976 and met her future husband, Randy. In the early 1980’s Anita, Randy and Leisa moved to Redding, CA where Anita and Randy fulfilled their dream of owning their own successful business, Redding Auto Center.

As Anita’s business career soared, she became involved in many charitable organizations, including Catholic Charities and Shriners USA where she generously gave her time, talents and gifts. All during her business career, it was important to Anita that she serve the public and other companies with utmost professionalism and civility, something she promoted when mentoring her employees. Anita was equally known and admired for the true friendships she cultivated throughout her childhood and adulthood. She was quick-witted, the life of the party and a loyal friend. Anita could find humor in the most mundane life circumstances and her family and close friends oftentimes were recipients of many of her comical practical jokes. She will be remembered for her classical style of dress with a timeless, flattering and smart flair.

Anita loved creating a beautiful home for her family to gather, whether it be a formal meal around the dining room table, a casual get-together at the kitchen island, or a boisterous house full of family and friends to share stories or play cards as she did so many years ago with her close girlfriends on Miguel Street in Riverside. She was admired by many for her selfless acts of kindness and thoughtful notes, and will be remembered by close friends and family for much loved phone calls shared with laughter for hours. Family and friends alike will recall Anita’s love of the ocean developed in her early years with her parents and siblings at the beach in Corona Del Mar, summertime house-boating with friends, and snow skiing on Mammoth Mountain.

Anita leaves behind her beloved husband, Randy, her beloved daughter Leisa Zachry and husband Toby, her granddaughters Kendall and Ava Zachry, along with her sister Diann and husband John Bitzberger, brother Robert and wife Sandi Rizk, sister Valerie Rizk and partner Jeff Alblinger, and sister Yvonne and husband Ed Willits, as well as her nieces and nephews. It was well-known among family and friends that Anita was a devoted wife, adored her daughter and granddaughters and loved being a mother and grandmother.

A Celebration of Anita’s Life is planned for family and friends at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. followed by a lunch at Ember and Rye located inside the Aviara Golf Club.

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