By
THURLEY J. BITTENBENDER
Born: December 3rd, 1920
Died: June 9th, 2020
Location: B - 865 - 2
Obituary
December 3, 1920 - June 9, 2020
Thurley J. Bittenbender, age 99, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2020 at Worthington Christian Village, Worthington, OH. Thurley was born December 3, 1920 in Berwick, PA, the only child of Paul and Mary Alice Lohr.
She graduated from Berwick High School and earned her RN degree from Geisinger Hospital School of Nursing in 1942. In the same year, she married the love of her life Marine Sergeant Harry B. Bittenbender. They lived in San Francisco, CA and Danville, PA before moving to Mansfield, OH and ultimately settling in Ontario, OH. Named after the main character in the 1919 book “The Gray Angels”, which her mother was reading at the time she was born, Thurley was often called “Bitt” after becoming a Bittenbender.
Thurley loved being a nurse and caring for people. She worked in the obstetrics department at Geisinger Hospital, worked private duty at Mansfield General Hospital and was a traveling public health nurse serving individuals and schools at the Richland County Health Department. After retiring for the first time in 1984 at the age of 63, she returned to nursing again, working part-time at Dayspring Assisted Living in Mansfield, OH and retiring for the second time at the age of 85.
Thurley was an avid reader with many interests and talents including playing the violin, sewing, quilting, knitting, singing in the choir, gardening, dancing, music, playing bridge and taking water aerobics and Tai Chi classes at the YMCA. She also volunteered at many places including Kingwood Center, What Goes ‘Round, RSVP Mid-Ohio and at her church.
She loved animals, especially her many boxers and loved driving her sporty cars up until the age of 95. She was always on the go spending quality time with friends & family, helping others, traveling and enjoying life to the fullest. Thurley was a wonderful person to be around, sharing her good nature and many talents with everyone. She was greatly loved by her many, many friends and family.
Preceded in death by her husband, Harry and son Mark. She is survived by daughter, Jill DiMarco of Worthington, OH: grandsons, Andrew DiMarco, Christopher DiMarco, Dave Bittenbender (Dana); great-grandson David Kelly Bittenbender; and granddaughter Shayne Bittenbender.
The family will receive friends on Friday, June 19, 2020 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Rd., Ontario, OH. A service celebrating Thurley’s wonderful life will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Ontario United Methodist Church, 3540 Park Ave W, Ontario, OH. Family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow at Mansfield Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Ontario United Methodist Church or Worthington Christian Village.
THURLEY J. BITTENBENDER
Born: December 3rd, 1920
Died: June 9th, 2020
Obituary
December 3, 1920 - June 9, 2020
Thurley J. Bittenbender, age 99, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2020 at Worthington Christian Village, Worthington, OH. Thurley was born December 3, 1920 in Berwick, PA, the only child of Paul and Mary Alice Lohr.
She graduated from Berwick High School and earned her RN degree from Geisinger Hospital School of Nursing in 1942. In the same year, she married the love of her life Marine Sergeant Harry B. Bittenbender. They lived in San Francisco, CA and Danville, PA before moving to Mansfield, OH and ultimately settling in Ontario, OH. Named after the main character in the 1919 book “The Gray Angels”, which her mother was reading at the time she was born, Thurley was often called “Bitt” after becoming a Bittenbender.
Thurley loved being a nurse and caring for people. She worked in the obstetrics department at Geisinger Hospital, worked private duty at Mansfield General Hospital and was a traveling public health nurse serving individuals and schools at the Richland County Health Department. After retiring for the first time in 1984 at the age of 63, she returned to nursing again, working part-time at Dayspring Assisted Living in Mansfield, OH and retiring for the second time at the age of 85.
Thurley was an avid reader with many interests and talents including playing the violin, sewing, quilting, knitting, singing in the choir, gardening, dancing, music, playing bridge and taking water aerobics and Tai Chi classes at the YMCA. She also volunteered at many places including Kingwood Center, What Goes ‘Round, RSVP Mid-Ohio and at her church.
She loved animals, especially her many boxers and loved driving her sporty cars up until the age of 95. She was always on the go spending quality time with friends & family, helping others, traveling and enjoying life to the fullest. Thurley was a wonderful person to be around, sharing her good nature and many talents with everyone. She was greatly loved by her many, many friends and family.
Preceded in death by her husband, Harry and son Mark. She is survived by daughter, Jill DiMarco of Worthington, OH: grandsons, Andrew DiMarco, Christopher DiMarco, Dave Bittenbender (Dana); great-grandson David Kelly Bittenbender; and granddaughter Shayne Bittenbender.
The family will receive friends on Friday, June 19, 2020 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Rd., Ontario, OH. A service celebrating Thurley’s wonderful life will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Ontario United Methodist Church, 3540 Park Ave W, Ontario, OH. Family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow at Mansfield Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Ontario United Methodist Church or Worthington Christian Village.