Frederick G. Bittinger

Frederick Gerald Bittinger
September 4, 1936 – February 26, 2013

Dad was born on the tail end of the great depression, a few years before WWII. He grew up in Ralph, PA, a coal mine town smaller than most modern housing developments. They had the company store and the post office. Housing was provided by the company. They had an outhouse and five kids in a two bedroom duplex. There wasn't much opportunity, he and his brother made a little money picking coal at the mine dumps.

Dad didn't go to college, but he was a very smart man. He had a mind for math and science and was a super student in high school. He could do long division in his head faster than I could do it on paper. He could have done many things, but his main goal as a young man was to break away from his coal mine roots, and the fastest way to do that was military service the day he turned 18 in 1954. He picked the Air Force because he wanted to fly.

Imagine the freedom he felt leaving the little coal mine town and taking to the air. He moved to a place in his life where success was rewarded and life was full of possibilities. He saw places from England to Asia and South America to Montana. He made friends, swam on beaches, was trained to recover lunar modules in the Atlantic, served in Vietnam, and was a success in his career. He was a flight engineer on C-130s, retiring as a Master Sergeant. There is a popular Dr Seuss book often given to high school and college graduates called "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" No one gave him the book, but he went.

Fred met Marla on a blind date in Montana. They were both so lucky. Way back in the 50s, how does a Pennsylvania coal mine boy meet and marry a Montana farm girl? They were married in Harlem Montana on September 6, 1959.

After Air Force retirement, our family settled into Aurora Colorado. Dad felt his way through some civilian jobs then settled into the hydraulics business where he was successful in sales.

Dad had his ups and down in life, but overall he found things to enjoy. At various times he experimented with a perpetual motion machine, macramé, old style sour kraut, wood working, wine making, latch hook rugs (the happy hooker), stained glass, photography, canning, and gardening. After retirement, he enjoyed the American legion and honor guard service.

Fred's greatest success was his family. My dad and mom built a family. My dad was a football coach, a scout leader, and a person I could talk to. I remember telling my college roommate that my dad was like Andy Griffith in Mayberry, he usually seemed to know the right thing to say. We grew up loved and encouraged. All his kids went to college. We have spouses and children who love him. My mom told me he was proud of the kind of people we are, well, we are who we are because of mom and dad. I think he understood more than any of us, it's not failures and successes and cars and houses that matter, it's the kind of people you are.

For flying high, loving his family, service to his country, his sense of humor, and for the kind of man he was, my dad's life was a victory.

Fred is survived by his wife Marla, his three children, Dan, Bob, and Sandra, our spouses, Lisa, Tess, and Jason, his nine grand children, Ron, Jeff, Ryan, Matt, Aimee, Kimberly, Tanner, Zane, and Kyle. Of his five siblings, Fred is survived by two of his sisters, Beatrice Hartley and Joan Knecht.

An open house memorial gathering will be held at American Legion Post 1992
following the service, from 2:00 to 4:00.

In Lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the All Veterans Honor
Guard at American Legion Post 1992.

Attention: David Zitz
American Legion Post 1992
16070 E. Dartmouth Ave.
Aurora, Co 80013

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