Edward W. Bitzer

1922 - 2012

GREENFIELD - Edward W. Bitzer, 90, of 49 Congress St., died at home on Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, following a period of declining health.
A native of Montague, he was born on June 3, 1922 to Mary R. (Steiner) and John L. Bitzer. He graduated from Greenfield High School in the Class of 1940 and later from Northampton Commercial College with an AA in accounting.
As a member of the ""Greatest Generation,"" he answered the call to military duty during WWII on Nov. 14, 1942 and served honorably with the U.S. Army Air Corps, Squadron D, in the 112th Army Air Force Base Unit. He received the American Theater Campaign Ribbon and Good Conduct Medal and attained the rank of S/Sgt. prior to his discharge on Feb. 25, 1946.
He married the former Alice Davenport on June 16, 1951, and they celebrated 35 years of marriage together prior to her passing on Sept. 27, 1986.
Ed worked for A.R. Sandri, Inc., for 65 years and retired as vice president. He served Greenfield as a past town meeting member, was a member and past president of the Greenfield Lions Club, an active member of the Republican Masonic Lodge in Greenfield, treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for the Green River Cemetery Association, member of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church since 1955, and was a benefactor to numerous local charities and organizations including the YMCA, Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Franklin County United Way and many others and established the Alice D. Bitzer Nursing School Fund in memory of his late wife. Ed was active in the Boy Scouts of America in his youth.
Ed was an avid rose gardener, who took great pride in his roses and was a member of the American Rose Society. He enjoyed attending rose shows in CT and MA and sharing his knowledge and his roses with others, many of whom won numerous blue ribbons at the Franklin County Fair over the years. He enjoyed bird watching at the many feeders in his yard, fishing along the Green River, especially at his camp, which he owned for almost 50 years, and traveling with his companion ""Miney"" Davenport, along with his children and grandchildren to Florida, Canada, Maryland and Alaska.
He will be forever remembered as a beloved father and grandfather, a devoted family man, as a well-liked and respected Greenfield businessman and civic leader, in addition to his signature bow ties.
He leaves to cherish his memory his children and their families: Alan and his wife Roberta and their son, Samuel of Simsbury, CT; Marc and his wife Ellen and their sons, Adam, Zachary and Gabriel of Colrain; Margaret Abramowitz and her husband, Dr. Andrew Abramowitz and their daughter Isabelle, of Mt. Airy, MD, and James of Greenfield and his children Matthew and Nicole of Warwick. He also leaves his longtime devoted companion, Marion (Miney) Davenport of Greenfield and her daughter, Beth Davenport of Santa Fe, NM. He leaves his loving brother, Robert Bitzer of Erving, as well as his nephew, Edward ""Skip"" Hammond of Greenfield; three nieces, Marion Scott of Buckland, Mary Louise Carpenter of Greenfield and Jennifer Davenport Mitchell of Springfield, VA; nephew, William Davenport of Houston, TX; sisters-in-law, Margaret Finn of Greenfield and Marian Davenport of Springfield, VA, and several additional grandnieces and grandnephews.
He was predeceased by his sister, Margaret Bitzer Hammond, on May 2, 2004 and by his nephew, Gary R. Bitzer.
Funeral services in celebration of Ed's life and many gifts will be observed on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012, from the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 399 Main St., Greenfield, at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Marguerite Sheehan to officiate. Rites of committal and burial will follow in the Green River Cemetery, with military honors to be provided by the elite 54th Massachusetts Army National Guard in attendance. A reception will be announced at the conclusion of the services at the church prior to the processional to the cemetery. For those attending the services on Saturday at the church, parking will be available behind the courthouse and the adjoining Hope Street parking lot.
Visiting hours will be conducted on Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, from the McCarthy Funeral Homes, 36 Bank Row, Greenfield, from 4 to 7 p.m.
The family requests that flowers be omitted and that expressions of affection in the form of a charitable contribution be directed to the Alice D. Bitzer Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund at G.C.C., in c/o Greenfield Co-Operative Bank, P.O. Box 1345, 63 Federal St., Greenfield, MA 01302-1345
The McCarthy Funeral Homes of Greenfield and Turners Falls have been entrusted with the arrangements. Guest book and condolence message available at:
www.mccarthyfuneralhomes.com.