Celita Withey

Celita V. Withey, 87, of High Springs, FL went to be with her Lord and savior on July 15, 2026, at home alongside her loving husband and two sons, Art and Shawn Withey. She was born at Alachua General Hospital in Gainesville, Florida on January 28, 1939, to her parents, Earl Anthony and Katie Beatrice Vinzant. She was the matriarch of her family and loved by all. Celita was in the first graduating class at Santa Fe High School in 1957. She was a Battery Lab Technician at General Electric where she retired after over 33 years of service. On November 1, 1957, she married the love of her life Leonard Edmund Withey, and they shared over 67 wonderful years of marriage. Celita absolutely loved spending time with her grandchildren. She enjoyed cross-stitching, crocheting, fishing, baking, cooking her famous macaroni and cheese, tending to her many beautiful amaryllis, putting puzzles together and countless other hobbies. Her greatest passion was genealogy. She spent decades researching ancestry and loved sharing it with others. She would visit local libraries everywhere she traveled and would attend local workshops where she would collaborate with other historians. Her personal library is a testament to her love of heritage, where she spent hours meticulously categorizing her work. She co-authored the book Pioneers of Northwest Alachua, FL. She fervently loved her family and found peace knowing her lineage lives on through them. Celita is preceded in death by her father, Earl Anthony Vinzant, mother, Katie Beatrice Vinzant, and infant brother, Earl Anthony Vinzant Jr. She is survived by her husband, Leonard Edmund Withey, sons Arthur Patrick Withey (Renee), and Anthony Shawn Withey (Toni), her grandchildren, Chase Withey, Dustin Withey, Christina Woodall (Wayne), Carrie Hogg, Kyle Hogg (Amanda), Tara Fowler (Justin) and 15 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters, Nancy O’Rourke, Candaise Dean, brother, Vernon Vinzant (Gail), sisters, Hazel Vinzant (Tommy), Billie Sue Alley (Noah) and many nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be officiated by Pastor Tim Folds, on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 10:00am at the High Springs Cemetery. The family welcomes visitors from 9:00am – 10am. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the American Diabetes Association at donate.diabetes.org. Arrangements have been placed under the care of the Rick Gooding Funeral Home Chiefland Chapel, with locations in Cross City 352-498-5400 and Chiefland 352-493-0050.

Celita Withey

January 28, 1939 - July 15, 2026