Loretta Witczak Keil, M.D., 68, of Allentown, died March 3, 2024, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest surrounded by her loving family. She was the wife of Bruce R. Keil for 41 years. Born in Allentown, she was the daughter of the late Leo R. and Catherine (Turbedsky) Witczak.

She was a 1974 graduate and co-valedictorian of Allentown Central Catholic High School. She graduated from Lehigh University (1978) and Medical College of Pennsylvania (1980) in an accelerated six-year BA-MD program. She completed a three-year internal medicine residency and a fellowship as chief medical resident in 1983 at what is now LVHN.

She began her 40-year employment at Sacred Heart Hospital, and subsequently St. Luke’s-Sacred Heart, in 1984 teaching family medicine residents. In 1988, she became the youngest, and first female, vice-president-medical affairs in Sacred Heart Hospital history. After that, and a term on the hospital board of directors, her love of teaching drew her back to the family practice residency program, where she continued to teach until February. In 2022, the family practice residency renamed a prestigious faculty award “The Loretta Witczak Keil Faculty Teacher of the Year” award.

For many years, she participated in Girl Scout leadership and judging competitions for the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science.

She relished keeping traditions alive including hosting large dinners and crafting homemade Christmas ornaments for friends and family. She enjoyed gardening, visiting the park with her beloved dog Goldie and loved spending beach time with family in Dewey Beach, Del. and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

She is survived by her husband; daughters, Deanna (Adrian), of Reston, Va., Alyssa Bistline (Christopher), of Thornton; grandsons, Leo and Cole Bistline; brothers, Jesse Witczak, of Brookeville, Md., Joseph Witczak, (Charlene), of Tumwater, Wash.; nine nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by sister-in-law, Pamela Witczak; son-in-law, Daniel Carik.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Literacy Center, 1132 Hamilton St., Suite 300, Allentown, 18101 https://theliteracycenter-lv.org/ or the Arthritis Foundation, 1355 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 600, Atlanta, Ga., 30309 https://ww.arthritis.org/

Visitation will be held 9 to 10:30 a.m. March 23 in the Gilbert Funeral Home, 444 Pershing Blvd., Whitehall, located one block south of the Fullerton Avenue exit of Route 22. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. in St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, directly across from the funeral home.