Funeral services for former district president
Filed Under: district president, funeral
Funeral services were held Sept. 24 in Fort Atkinson, Wis., for Rev. Donald Bitter, former president of the Western Wisconsin District. Bitter, 79, died Sept. 21 in a Fort Atkinson nursing home after a 17-year battle with Parkinson's disease.
Bitter served as district president from 1980-88. For three of those years, he also served as second and then first vice president of the synod. Prior to that, he held the offices of first and second vice president of the Western Wisconsin District and served on various synodical boards and committees. Bitter also served three Wisconsin congregations in his ministry: Good Shepherd, Fond du Lac; St. Lucas, Kewaskum; and St. Paul, Fort Atkinson.
Rev. Paul Scharrer, pastor at St. Paul, says he counts it a high honor to have served the Lord with Bitter for eight years. "I learned a lot from him," says Scharrer. "He was an awesome man of God. Even in the most tense situations, he could speak up with his dry humor and lighten the situation and have a word of wisdom."
Scharrer says Bitter always had that humor, even during his fight with Parkinson's. He remembers greeting Bitter before a Thursday night service last fall. "Pastor Bitter, you're looking good tonight," said Scharrer. Bitter appreciated the comment and replied, "Say it again."
"He was really something," says Scharrer. "He was a good friend and brother. He was a gift from God to his family, to our congregation, to our district, and to our synod."
Bitter was preceded in death by a daughter and is survived by his wife, Marilyn; 7 children; 24 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
