{"id":50008,"date":"2026-01-08T11:48:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T16:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.westbendnews.net\/autonews\/?p=50008"},"modified":"2026-01-08T11:48:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T16:48:38","slug":"john-anthony-willitzer-jr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westbendnews.net\/autonews\/john-anthony-willitzer-jr\/","title":{"rendered":"John Anthony Willitzer Jr."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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DEFIANCE, OH:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Anthony Willitzer Jr.<\/strong>, age 70 of Defiance, passed away on Monday, January 5, 2026 at The Laurels of Defiance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was born on March 15, 1955 in Defiance, Ohio to the late John A. and Rose (Reynolds) Willitzer. John was a 1974 graduate of Defiance High School. He proudly served 8 years in the U.S. Marine Corp. from 1974-1981, including 3 tours on Okinawa. He was very proud to be a Marine and talked about his service to anyone who would listen to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon being honorably discharged in 1981 he spent several years in Key West, Florida working as a body builder, a landscaper, and working with the Florida State Patrol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John is survived by four siblings, Audrey (Barry) Roth, Mark (Laurie) Willitzer, Sandra (Tim) Hutson, all of Defiance, and Crystal Willitzer of Antwerp, Ohio. He also leaves behind six nieces, four nephews, and many great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Shelley Limber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Graveside Memorial Service will be held on Monday, January 12, 2026 at 10:00 am at Riverside Cemetery in Defiance, with Rev. David Brobston officiating. Military rites will be presented by VFW #3360.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memorials are suggested to the U.S. Marines, Heartland Hospice, or to a charity of the donor’s choice<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DEFIANCE, OH: John Anthony Willitzer Jr., age 70 of Defiance, passed away on Monday, January 5, 2026 at The Laurels<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":50009,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[26468,27797,9509,27793,27791,27795,27798,27633,27796,27792,27794,27799],"class_list":["post-50008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-obits","tag-audrey-roth","tag-crystal-willitzer","tag-defiance-ohio","tag-john-a-willitzer","tag-john-anthony-willitzer-jr","tag-mark-willitzer","tag-rev-david-brobston","tag-riverside-cemetery","tag-sandra-hutson","tag-the-laurels-of-defiance","tag-us-marine-corp","tag-vfw-3360"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t