Obituary: Lassiter Sophomore Josh Wittes Dies

sophomore Josh Wittes, 16, died early Thursday morning, surrounded by family and friends, after several days in a coma.

A native of Marietta, the Northeast Cobb resident is survived by his parents, Rob and Kelly Wittes; brother Zack; his twin, David; and his grandparents, Grace Garrison and Hermine and Jerry Wittes.

Other survivors include aunts, uncles and cousins Brian Wittes, Margaret Pawlik, Kevin Pawlik, Yvonne and Alan Jaslove, Cara and Matthew Jaslove, Dustin and Ximena Valdez, and Ryker Valdez, as well as family friends and godparents Margaret and Josh Berry, Claude Nafziger, and Lordes and Fred Muller.

Josh attended Mountain View Elementary School and before Lassiter. He played many sports and was on Lassiter’s varsity lacrosse team, which he made as a freshman.

The lacrosse team is dedicating this season to his memory. 

The family noted that Josh was an organ donor, so he will help save the lives of others.

A memorial service will be held at Temple Kol Emeth, 1415 Old Canton Road in East Cobb, at 2:30 Friday afternoon, with interment to follow at in Sandy Springs.

Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care is handling the arrangements.

Rabbi Steven Lebow will conduct a teen memorial service, sponsored by the Kol Emeth youth group, Saturday at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary at Temple Kol Emeth. Josh's friends who wish to speak during the service must notify the rabbi in advance.

The family asks that memorial donations be made to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite pediatric unit, LifeLink for organ donation or The Link Counseling Center for suicide prevention.

You can post memorial messages in Dressler’s online guestbook. A closed Facebook support group, Prayers for Josh, and a Facebook event page, Wear Red for Josh Day, also have been outlets for grieving friends.