Loretta Witczak Keil, M.D., 68, of Allentown, died March 3, 2024, surrounded by her loving family in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township.

She and her husband, Bruce R. Keil, were married 41 years.

Born in Allentown, she was the daughter of the late Leo R. and Catherine (Turbedsky) Witczak.

A 1974 graduate and co-valedictorian of Allentown Central Catholic High School, she graduated from Lehigh University in 1978 and the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1980 in an accelerated six-year Bachelor of Arts, 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 for 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 this 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 her family in Dewey Beach, Del. and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by daughters Deanna Keil (Adrian) of Reston, Va. and Alyssa Bistline (Christopher) of Thornton, Delaware County; grandsons Leo and Cole Bistline; brothers Jesse Witczak of Brookeville, Md. and Joseph Witczak (Charlene) of Tumwater, Wash.; and nine nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her sister-in-law Pamela Witczak and son-in-law Daniel Carik.

Visitation will be 9-10:30 a.m. March 23 in the Gilbert Funeral Home, 444 Pershing Blvd., Whitehall.

An 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father Stanley Moczydlowski in St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, across from the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Literacy Center, theliteracycenter-lv.org, 1132 Hamilton St., Suite 300, Allentown, PA 18101, 610-435-0680 ext. 804 or to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis.org, 1355 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30309, 1-800-283-7800.