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Sharon Sitek-Dendinger was born in Toledo, Ohio. where she has been an educator with the Toledo Public School System. She has and continues to have an active life participating in and directing plays and musicals in Ft. Myers, Florida, where she and her husband, Chuck now make their home.

Writing this book has allowed her to pay a lasting tribute to her friend, Jim Witt, who perished in the Vietnam War on Valentine’s Day, in 1969. Thus. A Valentine for Uncle Jim, seemed a fitting and an appropriate title.

The book is a blend of historical information pertaining to the war and Jim’s life story as he enlists in the Marine Corps to save in Vietnam and sadly becomes a casualty of that war. The author’s friendship with Witt began when she was a child of 9 yrs old. Jim was 11. The two became fast friends in frequent communication until both were college students. When Jim was killed, Sharon was deeply affected and wished for a way to honor him. This book became her way.

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated by the author to the D.O.V.E. Fund (Development of Vietnam Endeavors) in Lt Witt’s memory. The D.O.V.E. is a non-profit corporation founded in 2000, whose goal is to provide humanitarian and development assistance to impoverished areas of Vietnam. Their completed projects include building permanent structures that include schools, day cam centers, and nursery schools. D.O.V.E. has also developed resources for fresh water, sanitation, and medical cam, which have improved the lives of many people living in the poorest communities of Vietnam.

Sharon Sitek-Dendinger believes that her friend would have been proud to help support this worthy cause. In writing A Valentine for Uncle Jim, she has not only been able to honor Jim but also allow him to live on, and to perhaps be an inspiration to others.

On February 14th, 1969, Second Lieutenant James Patrick Witt, of the United States Marine Corps, became one of the 58,000 American casualties of the Vietnam War. The anniversary of his death on Valentine’s Day, even after twenty-five years, continues to be extremely painful for the soldier’s survivors. Although born after his Uncle Jim’s death, Patrick Cicerchi has grown up in awe of his war-hero Uncle, and has felt a strong tie to him. When Patrick is given a school assignment to write an essay about someone who has influenced his life, and when the project is due on February 14th, Patrick knows that he must write about Uncle Jim. A Valentine for Uncle Jim, is the true story of 2LT Jim Witt, recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart Medals. It contains historical data presented within the framework of a novel. It is a book with universal appeal, written for both young adults and for those who lived through the Vietnam War years. Contained in this book is a teaching guide, which lends itself to classroom instructional application with middle school and high school students.

“Sharon Dendinger Tells the Story of a Remarkable Hero Who Was Awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart Medals

The Vietnam War was a long, costly, and contentious conflict. It was a war that created a chasm between the citizens of the United States of America. Some individuals enthusiastically supported it, while the other half loathed it. However, the real casualties are often overlooked. They were the foot soldiers and the civilians who got caught in the trauma and crossfire of conflicting superpowers.

“A Valentine for Uncle Jim,” is a novel written by Sharon Dendinger as a tribute to her childhood friend, 2LT James Patrick Witt, of the United States Marine Corps. The novel pans the lens toward the aftermath of the Vietnam War—the pain it left behind for the bereaved, and the legacy that has to be kept alive for the heroes whose lives abruptly ended.

The novel follows Patrick Cicerchi and the assignment that led him into writing about his Uncle Jim. For his valentine essay, he decided to write a love story. However, it is not the typical ‘boy-meets-girl’ story. Instead, it is the testament of a soldier’s love for his country—the story of his Uncle Jim, whose death anniversary is on Valentine’s Day.

This heartstring-tugging novel/memoir is interpolated with historical facts while the main plot exposes the character of an average-framed man, who did extraordinary things. By retelling the character, values, and story of 2LT James Patrick Witt, she inspires patriotism, volunteerism, and an upright outlook that will appeal to young adults and adults alike.

The book, being educational also comes with a teaching guide from Dendinger, which lends itself to classroom instructional application with middle school and high school students.”

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