Robert Francis Bitler died on Saturday July 9, 2016.  He was the beloved husband of Rheda (nee Meekins) and the late Elva (nee Dollar); father of John (Maureen), Janet Davis, and Rich (Denise); stepfather of Patricia Norman (Wayne), Mary Jane Grant (Scot) and Dennis Meekins; grandfather of Stephanie Jaked (Alex), Suzanne Abbott (Jim), Matthew Bitler, Christopher Bitler and Justin Davis; step-grandfather of Christopher Norman (Delani), Susan Yashinskie (David), Jeffrey Norman, Erin Jordan (Chuck), Wendy Duvall, and Rachel Van Meter. He is also survived by 16 great-grandchildren.

Robert proudly served in the 13th Army Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II as a Radar Control Officer with the rank of Captain.

He was a graduate of Keystone College and Lehigh University.

He was a retired civil engineer who did design work on many high profile projects including The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, The Delaware Memorial Bridge, The penstock at Lake Wallenpaupack and the Apollo Space Program. He was also considered an expert in the use of plastics in construction. After he retired from Rohm and Haas, he consulted with Peter Gimbel on aspects of the Andrea Doria Project and designed The Elk Neck Pavilion at Elk Neck State Park.   

He was an avid reader and enjoyed woodworking, golf, traveling with his wife Rheda and eating at Woody’s.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 14th at 11:00 am at the Crouch Funeral Home, 127 South Main St., North East, MD. Visitation one hour prior to the funeral service.  Interment with full military honors will be in North East Methodist Cemetery.

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