Suzanne’s wife and partner, Lanita Witt (August 26, 1950 to December 15, 2022), was born in the Texas High Plains with the vast horizon in all directions, a dark star-filled sky, and a vegetable garden. Her family roots were in German homestead farms in South Texas. Higher education included undergraduate at Texas Woman’s University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, UCLA Hospitals and Clinics Residency in OB and Gyn, and a house building course in Bath, Maine.
Suzanne and Lanita met in 1979 and in 1984 searched out a place in a rural environment – not too deep in the woods, with a good school for their daughter Brooke. The 445 acres that is the land of Willow-Witt Ranch, and now the home of educational non-profit The Crest and The Forest Conservation Burial Ground, met those needs and more. Suzanne and Lanita learned about forest health and resilience through the Master Forest Manager course at OSU Extension in their first years on the ranch. Since 1985, they focused on restoring balanced working forests and wetlands, and improving wildlife habitat. Willow-Witt Ranch is committed to land conservation, restoration, and regenerative organic agriculture.
Laura is the proud mom of two young girls, a seasoned trail runner, mushroom forager, and music appreciator. Her newest hobbies include perfecting her pizza recipes, setting new PR’s on the ranch’s Turtle Trot loop, and finding her way into birding circles. She also promises some day she will learn to sew and write her magnum opus on the guitar.
While working at the Cibolo Center for Conservation, an environmental nonprofit, Maura honed her passion for sustainable land stewardship, regenerative farming practices, and nature-based education. When she learned about the ways our death practices can become part of the conservation of nature, she found her life’s work. Death advocacy brings together her passion for education, environmental conservation, and community action, uniting her varied experience in an array of different fields.
In her spare time, Maura enjoys traveling, songwriting, taking long plant walks, and exploring nature with her socially awkward dog, Bill.
He followed his passion for the environment into college, graduating with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a Minor in Outdoor Adventure Leadership from Southern Oregon University. During his studies, he learned about sustainable development, food systems, and environmental policy. For his Capstone, he designed, created, and implemented a botanical tour showcasing trees on campus. Daniel grew his farming knowledge while interning with the Berggren Demonstration Farm in Springfield Oregon. He also was Trip Leader for the SOU Outdoor Program in college.
After starting at Willow-Witt Ranch in January of 2018, he has found a lot to love here at the ranch. The land seems to offer endless opportunities to support the community, not only with the bounty of food but also with its wealth of knowledge, history, and beauty. He thinks the work here is an excellent way to grow his love of farming, environmental education, and leadership.