1925
Edwin
2011
Edwin Bittenbender
February 25, 1925 — July 2, 2011
Reverend Edwin L. Bittenbender, 86, of Fergus Falls, died Saturday, July 2, 2011 under the tender and compassionate care of the staff at the Minnesota Veterans Home, Fergus Falls and Lakeland Hospice.
Edwin L. Bittenbender was born February 25, 1925, the fifth child and third son of Gedna and Dora (Grey) Bittenbender in Berwick, PA. He was baptized as an infant, brought up in the First Methodist Church, and educated through high school--all in Berwick.
Ed wrote: "My ordinary life was suddenly changed by being drafted into the U.S. navy in the winter of 1942-43, my senior year in Berwick High School. Shipboard duty aboard a Destroyer Escort followed: Atlantic convoys to the British Isles, Morocco, and Tunisia; Pacific battles in the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The horrors, the killing, the destruction, the nonsense of war changed my life forever. I became a pacifist under the influence of the American Friends (Quakers), and in India, land of Gandhi, as a Methodist lay missionary teaching Physical Education at Lucknow Christian College, Lucknow, U. P., India, from 1949-1952". He deeply admired and studied the universal Gandhian values of ahimsa ('non-violence') and satyagraha ('truth-force').
Preceding this, Edwin's university studies were done as a US Navy officer candidate at Colgate University (NY) and the University of Rochester (NY). He graduated from Susquehanna University (PA) with a BA in 1949, majoring in philosophy and religion, with minors in psychology and history. Later, after his experience in Lucknow, he attended Garrett Biblical Institute (now called Garrett Theological Seminary) in Evanston, IL from 1952 to 1955, received a BD degree, and met his future wife.
On June 21, 1953, Edwin married Mona Monson at Grace United Methodist Church, Fergus Falls, MN. He was elected to the deacons and elders orders by Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference in 1955 under missionary rule. Mona and Ed were commissioned as regular Methodist missionaries and with baby daughter, Amy, were sent back to Lucknow Christian College, where Ed had served previously. This time (1956-1961), he served as the college's Director of Moral and Religious Education (Chaplain). Two sons, Philip and Peter, joined Amy in India during this time.
Edwin's pastorate work in Minnesota was as follows: 196l-1963--Herman First United Methodist Church; 1970-1972--Perham, Richville, Dent UMC's; 1972-1977--organizing pastor of new UMC congregation in Minnetonka; and 1980-1982--Norcross, Tenney UMC's. His overseas pastoral work was at: Lal Bagh Methodist Church, Lucknow, India--1958-1961 and 1963-1970; St. Andrew's Church, Church of Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan--1978-1980; and the International Church of Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand--1982-1987. With the permission of the US Embassy, he and his wife were able to visit 20 some US men and women imprisoned in maximum security prisons in Bangkok. He retired in 1987, returning to Fergus Falls where, in his words "I married Minnesota!" For nine months, 1990-91(an Arctic winter!), he served as interim pastor at the Community United Methodist Church in Nome, AK. During later MN winters, he much enjoyed volunteer work at Koinonia Farms in Americus, GA, a Christian cooperative farm.
In his words, Ed was "continually thankful to God for his call in Jesus Christ and Christ's body, the church that has given continuing fellowship and support and guidance and the privilege of being a missionary and student and pastor". He was particularly interested in the social problems of alcoholism, corrections, and criminal justice, as well as the relationships amongst major world religions and the subcontinent of South Asia.
Ed was a life-long tennis player, swimmer, and stamp collector. He loved to fish for panfish on South Lida at the Monson family lake home with his children and grandchildren. Ed was active in the International Bible Society, International YMCA, and various Indian provincial and national basketball referee's and player's competitions, both as player and referee. An honorable sportsman, he was a tough competitor but always emphasized fair play (his old opponents and students will agree). Ed was also an inveterate teller, trader, and player of jokes, as many reading this will recall with a smile.
Edwin is survived by his wife, Mona; daughter, Amy (Henry) Shofner, Grand Rapids, MN; sons, Philip (Lipika Mazumdar), Pittsburgh, PA, and Peter (Karen Klein), Mussoorie, India; three grandchildren, Jacob Jinks, Jennifer Jinks and Asha Klein Bittenbender; three great-grandchildren, Jasmine Jinks, Mya Jinks, and Rain Skyles; step-son, Dean Shofner; step -grandchildren, Aaron and Amber Shofner; brother-in-law, Loren Woolson; sisters-in-law, Rita Woolson and Gretchen (Blaine, deceased) Farnberg; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Dorothy (in infancy) and Ruth; and brothers, John and David.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Friends Service Committee, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Fergus Falls food shelf, or another of the donor's choice in Edwin's name.
Memorial Service: Friday, July 22, 20ll at 2:00 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, Fergus Falls
Visitation: One hour prior to the service at the church, in the Adult Lounge
Clergy: Rev. Bob Worner, Rev. Bob Kandles, Rev. Greg Hayek
Cemetery: Private Family Service
Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Edwin L. Bittenbender was born February 25, 1925, the fifth child and third son of Gedna and Dora (Grey) Bittenbender in Berwick, PA. He was baptized as an infant, brought up in the First Methodist Church, and educated through high school--all in Berwick.
Ed wrote: "My ordinary life was suddenly changed by being drafted into the U.S. navy in the winter of 1942-43, my senior year in Berwick High School. Shipboard duty aboard a Destroyer Escort followed: Atlantic convoys to the British Isles, Morocco, and Tunisia; Pacific battles in the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The horrors, the killing, the destruction, the nonsense of war changed my life forever. I became a pacifist under the influence of the American Friends (Quakers), and in India, land of Gandhi, as a Methodist lay missionary teaching Physical Education at Lucknow Christian College, Lucknow, U. P., India, from 1949-1952". He deeply admired and studied the universal Gandhian values of ahimsa ('non-violence') and satyagraha ('truth-force').
Preceding this, Edwin's university studies were done as a US Navy officer candidate at Colgate University (NY) and the University of Rochester (NY). He graduated from Susquehanna University (PA) with a BA in 1949, majoring in philosophy and religion, with minors in psychology and history. Later, after his experience in Lucknow, he attended Garrett Biblical Institute (now called Garrett Theological Seminary) in Evanston, IL from 1952 to 1955, received a BD degree, and met his future wife.
On June 21, 1953, Edwin married Mona Monson at Grace United Methodist Church, Fergus Falls, MN. He was elected to the deacons and elders orders by Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference in 1955 under missionary rule. Mona and Ed were commissioned as regular Methodist missionaries and with baby daughter, Amy, were sent back to Lucknow Christian College, where Ed had served previously. This time (1956-1961), he served as the college's Director of Moral and Religious Education (Chaplain). Two sons, Philip and Peter, joined Amy in India during this time.
Edwin's pastorate work in Minnesota was as follows: 196l-1963--Herman First United Methodist Church; 1970-1972--Perham, Richville, Dent UMC's; 1972-1977--organizing pastor of new UMC congregation in Minnetonka; and 1980-1982--Norcross, Tenney UMC's. His overseas pastoral work was at: Lal Bagh Methodist Church, Lucknow, India--1958-1961 and 1963-1970; St. Andrew's Church, Church of Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan--1978-1980; and the International Church of Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand--1982-1987. With the permission of the US Embassy, he and his wife were able to visit 20 some US men and women imprisoned in maximum security prisons in Bangkok. He retired in 1987, returning to Fergus Falls where, in his words "I married Minnesota!" For nine months, 1990-91(an Arctic winter!), he served as interim pastor at the Community United Methodist Church in Nome, AK. During later MN winters, he much enjoyed volunteer work at Koinonia Farms in Americus, GA, a Christian cooperative farm.
In his words, Ed was "continually thankful to God for his call in Jesus Christ and Christ's body, the church that has given continuing fellowship and support and guidance and the privilege of being a missionary and student and pastor". He was particularly interested in the social problems of alcoholism, corrections, and criminal justice, as well as the relationships amongst major world religions and the subcontinent of South Asia.
Ed was a life-long tennis player, swimmer, and stamp collector. He loved to fish for panfish on South Lida at the Monson family lake home with his children and grandchildren. Ed was active in the International Bible Society, International YMCA, and various Indian provincial and national basketball referee's and player's competitions, both as player and referee. An honorable sportsman, he was a tough competitor but always emphasized fair play (his old opponents and students will agree). Ed was also an inveterate teller, trader, and player of jokes, as many reading this will recall with a smile.
Edwin is survived by his wife, Mona; daughter, Amy (Henry) Shofner, Grand Rapids, MN; sons, Philip (Lipika Mazumdar), Pittsburgh, PA, and Peter (Karen Klein), Mussoorie, India; three grandchildren, Jacob Jinks, Jennifer Jinks and Asha Klein Bittenbender; three great-grandchildren, Jasmine Jinks, Mya Jinks, and Rain Skyles; step-son, Dean Shofner; step -grandchildren, Aaron and Amber Shofner; brother-in-law, Loren Woolson; sisters-in-law, Rita Woolson and Gretchen (Blaine, deceased) Farnberg; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Dorothy (in infancy) and Ruth; and brothers, John and David.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Friends Service Committee, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Fergus Falls food shelf, or another of the donor's choice in Edwin's name.
Memorial Service: Friday, July 22, 20ll at 2:00 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, Fergus Falls
Visitation: One hour prior to the service at the church, in the Adult Lounge
Clergy: Rev. Bob Worner, Rev. Bob Kandles, Rev. Greg Hayek
Cemetery: Private Family Service
Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Edwin Bittenbender, please visit our flower store.