Obituary

Marguerite “Maggi” Wiita
1925 – 2014

Maggi Wiita passed away peacefully at home of natural causes on December 6, a few days after her 89th birthday.

Maggi was born and raised in Southern California and graduated from Whittier High School. After graduation she was a WW II “Rosie the Riveter”, working the swing shift at the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California.

Maggi wasn’t an actual “riveter”, though her own mother was, working the same swing shift. Maggi was a technical illustrator, drawing the visual diagrams for the airmen, sailors, and Marines who worked on and repaired our warplanes. She met John Wiita there, before he joined the Navy. They married, had four children, and had a long, happy life together.

She was a Soroptimist, a Junior Leaguer, a YMCA volunteer, a Girl Scout leader. She was a travel agent in Whittier before founding, with a partner, her own business, a travel agency in Idylwild, CA.

Most of all, she was a mother, in the very best, wonderful sense of that word.

She is survived by four children, Douglas Wiita, Janet Wiita Johnson, Joanne Wiita and Kathryn Wiita-Blake, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, she would want any donations sent to Irvine Adult Day Health Services (irvineadhs.org) or Irvine United Congregational Church (iucc.org).