Stephen Lee Witt

Stephen (Steve) Lee Witt, 71, of Chattanooga, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at his home on November 4, 2022.

Steve was born on December 12, 1950, to Frank and Ruth Ferguson Witt. He graduated from East Ridge High School in 1968, followed by an undergraduate degree from Excelsior College in New York, and received a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Theological Seminary.

Steve was a talented organist, great communicator and public speaker. Those gifts combined with his passion for helping others, led him to a life in the ministry and non-profit work.

On Easter Sunday of 1972, he became pastor at Antioch Baptist Church in McDonald, TN. Between 1972 and 1993, Steve spent the majority of his ministry as pastor of Mountain Creek Baptist Church in Chattanooga, but also served congregations at the First Southern Baptist Church in Pikeville TN, Chicago’s Mount Prospect Bible Church, Roswell Street Baptist in Marietta, GA, Riverbend Baptist in Gainesville, GA, and the First Baptist Church of Jasper, TN.

After his time in the ministry, Steve went on to support our region’s aging population as the director of the Southeast TN Alzheimer's Association and then as the director of the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability until his retirement in late 2015.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his three sisters, three brothers and other family members.

Survived by the love of his life and wife of 53 years, Rebecca Boleman Witt; son, Jonathan (Whitney) Witt, of Chattanooga; grandsons, Nolan and Carter Witt; nephew, Jay (Anne) Tingle, of Annapolis, MD; niece, Michal (Kathie) Tingle of Falls Church, VA; niece, Suzy (Steve) Wilson, of Lake Jackson, TX, along with other family members.

Nearly a decade ago, Steve was the recipient of a double lung transplant at Vanderbilt Hospital which provided him extra years with his family to watch his beloved grandsons grow. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Tennessee Donor Services at tennesseedonor.org.

We want to give a special thank you to the team at Hearth Hospice for the care and support they gave to Steve and his family during his illness.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, December 10, 2022, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, TN with Father Brad Whitaker officiating. A reception will follow the service at the church.

Announcement by Chattanooga Funeral Home – Valley View Chapel, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37421.