Bitcon, John Harold "Harry"

BITCON, RUTHERFORD, KING, KETTLE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 9/16/2009 at 20:42:27

Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register

HARRY BITCON

John Harold "Harry" Bitcon, 87, of 1228 West St., Grinnell, died of a stroke Saturday, June 16, at St. Francis Manor.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Raymond C. Lott, pastor of the Grinnell United Methodist Church, officiating. Organist was Margaret Wheeler, and vocalists were Wilma Schmitz and Ruth Ann Dayton.

Pallbearers were Gene Broders, Burdette Ford, Eldred Gauss, Richard Hasselbrink, John Higdon, Fred Johnson, Darrell Keenan and Clyde Sumpter. Honorary bearers were Leo Ahrens, Elmer Burnson, Lyman Case, Merle Dimit, A.C. Eisenman, Robert R. Gray, Frank Higdon and Ross Strickler.

Fraternal rites were conducted by members of the B.P.O. Elks Lodge, Hermon Masonic Lodge and the Odd Fellows Lodge. Burial was in Pleasant Township Cemetery at Ewart.

The son of James and Jennie Rutherford Bitcon, he was born Sept. 4, 1902, on a farm near Ewart. In 1908, he moved with his family to a farm southeast of Grinnell. Following the death of his father, he and his mother moved to Grinnell where he attended school.

He was married to Katharine King Kettle Dec. 9, 1935, in Lincoln, Ill. The couple lived in Grinnell. In 1940 he became manager of the parts department and cashier of the Chrysler-Plymouth dealership here, a post he held until his retirement in 1971.

Mr. Bitcon was a member of the Grinnell United Methodist Church and was active in the Masons, Elks, Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows lodges.

There are no immediate survivors. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1968; a sister, Mabel Bitcon; and three brothers, William in 1973 and two in infancy.