Deaths and funerals
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EDNA BROWNING
The funeral was today for Edna Iona Browning, 87, 1015 W. 10th, who died
Friday at Bethesda Nursing Center, after two weeks’ illness.
She was born in Savonburg, the daughter of Emanuel and Hannah Johnson. On
March 22, 1910, she was married in Erie to John Edward Wittsell, who died Sept. 4,
1962. On June 21, 1964, she married in Richmond, Calif., to Paul Browning, who died
May 11, 1972.
She lived in the Savonburg area most of her life, moving to California in 1964 and
returning to Chanute in 1977.
She was a member of Modesto Covenant Church, Modesto, Calif., and a former
member of Evangelical Covenant Church, Savonburg.
Survivors include three sons, Harold, Elizabeth City, N.C., Lawrence, Modesto,
Paul, Wichita: four daughters, Mrs Gilbert (Viola) Hendrick, Manchester, Okla., Mrs.
Everett (Delia) Maxwell, 1015 W. 10th; Mrs. Verlin (Ruby) Riley, Parks, Ark., and Mrs.
Theodore (Evaline) Eissler, Liberty, Mo.; 32 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and
three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two daughters, one stepson and two grandchildren.
Burial was in Mount Moriah cemetery, Savonburg, under direction of GibsonKoch Chapel.
A memorial has been established in her name at the Evangelical Covenant
Church.”
Comments by Lawrence Wittsell, son: This article was transcribed from a notice in the
Chanute Tribune. The date of publication is not known at this time. Iona was actually
born on a farm in Neosho County, Kansas seven miles southwest of Savonburg on March
21, 1891. She died September 15, 1978 in Chanute, Neosho, Kansas. She was preceded
in death by two stepsons instead of one.