HOISINGTON — Irene C. Bitter, 88, of Hoisington, passed away Thursday, May 12, 2016, at Cherry Village in Great Bend. She was born Dec. 9, 1927, at Barton County, the daughter of Fred and Amelia (Bitter) Deutsch. She was a lifelong resident of northern Barton County and Hoisington until moving to Cherry Village Nursing Home in 2014.
Irene married Harry Bitter on Nov. 21, 1948, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Susank. He preceded her in death on Sept. 23, 2014. Mrs. Bitter was a farm wife and worked as a C.N.A. at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend and Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington.
She was a member of LWML (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League) and the Dorcas Society.
Survivors include one son, Kenneth and wife Cindy, of Powell, Ohio; grandchildren, Josh and wife Kelly, Kurt Bitter, Shaelynn Bitter, Zachary Bitter, Trey Bitter, Cole Bilbrey and Sydnie Bilbrey; and two great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Lucas Bitter; one brother Junior Deutsch of Hoisington; two sisters, Theresa Dumler of Hoisington and Wilma Haesemeyer of Hutchinson; and a daughter-in-law, Heather Bitter (surviving spouse of Greg), of Hoisington. She was preceded in death by two sons, Frederick J. Bitter and Greg Bitter; eight brothers, Armin Deutsch, Raymond Deutsch, Leland Deutsch, Dean Deutsch, Edward Deutsch, Edwin Deutsch, Robert Deutsch and Paul Deutsch; and one sister, Helena Mai.
The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday, May 16, at Concordia Lutheran Church in Hoisington, with the Rev. Mark Lovett officiating. Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m. Sunday, with a prayer service at 7, p.m., at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington. Interment will be at Hoisington Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Concordia Lutheran Church or the Lutheran Hour, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home*
P.O. Box 146; 415 N. Main
Hoisington, KS 67544
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, May 15, 2016