Bittner, Aloysia (Wesselski) and Clara

MRS. JOHN BITTNER AND DAUGHTER BURNED TO DEATH NEAR GARWOOD

Gasoline Sad Iron Woman Was Using Exploded Setting Her Clothing On Fire

Child's Clothes Caught Fire While She Was Trying to Save Her Mother

Funerals Held at Nada Saturday.

One of the saddest accidents that has ever happened in this part of the country occurred at Garwood on Thursday of last week when Mrs. John Bittner and her little eight-year-old daughter, Clara, were burned to death in their home about two and a half miles southwest of Garwood. Just how the deplorable accident happened no one knows positively, as there were no others present at the time save two other smaller children of Mr. and Mrs. Bittner, who, owing to their ages, have been unable to give an account of the awful accident. Mrs. Bittner was ironing with a gasoline sad iron, when in some manner the small gasoline tank on top of the iron exploded, setting fire to her clothing. The explosion seemed to cause a gas or vapor which settled near the floor and which became ignited in the explosion. Mrs. Bittner's skirts were the first to catch fire, the blazes coming up under her skirts thus preventing her from putting out the flames and saving her life. The little child, according to the other smaller children, made a desperate attempt to save her mother from the flames, her own clothing catching on fire, burning her so badly that her death resulted, she dying eleven hours afterwards. Mrs. Bittner was in her stocking feet at the time of the accident and her charred footprints where she ran from one room into another could be seen on the floor of the home, charred footprints from burning having been made on the floor. Fully ninety-five percent of her body was burned. The floor of the room in which the explosion took place also caught fire but was put by those who were first to reach the scene. Mrs. Bittner was twenty-seven years of age and the wife of a prominent young farmer of that community. She died eight hours after the accident which happened about two o'clock in the afternoon, death relieving her of her suffering at eight o'clock the same evening. The little girl who gave her life in an effort to save her mother, died five hours after the mother had passed away. Mr. Bittner and his little three-year-old son and six-year-old daughter have the sympathy of the entire community the great sorrow. A double funeral was held Saturday morning at the Catholic Cemetery in Nada and was one of the largest funerals ever seen in that section. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Father B. Held of Nada, both bodies being interred in one grave.

Eagle Lake Headlight, December 30, 1916
Transcription by Dennis Boatright

Bittner, Anna Stock (Burns)

Mrs. George Bittner Funeral Is Held At Nada Church

NADA--Mrs. George Bittner,79, died at the Nightingale hospital at El Campo Saturday, June 1, after a lingering illness.

She was born in Germany April 15, 1884, and at the age of 2, she arrived in Texas with her mother and grandfather. They settled at Mentz.

She married George Bittner and they lived in the Nada community. Mr. Bittner died Nov. 9, 1952.

Survivors are 4 sons, John of Beeville, Henry of El Campo, Rudy and Joe of Nada; 4 daughters, Mrs. Frances Tamtlin of Baltimore, Md., Mrs. Mary Corliss, Garwood, Mrs. Elizabeth Till of Nada, Mrs. Martha Leopold of Louse; 33 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services and Requiem Mass were conducted by Rev. E. J. Bily in St. Mary’s Catholic church here Monday at 9 a.m. Burial was in St. Mary’s cemetery.

She was a member of the Christian Mother’s society.

Pallbearers were 4 grandsons, Walter, Melvin and Dennis Corliss Jr. and Joe Till and 2 nephews, A. J. and Albert Bittner.

Colorado County Citizen June 6, 1963, page 3

Bittner, Charles L. "Buck"

Final Rites for 'Buck" Bittner Held July 18

Funeral services for Charles ("Buck") Bittner, 49, vice president and operations manager of Herder Truck Lines, were held Monday, July 18, in Hubbard Funeral Chapel, with Rev. Wm. Scholtze officiating. Burial was in Masonic Cemetery.

Mr. Bittner died of a heart attack at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 16, about two hours after being admitted at Youens Memorial Hospital,

A lifetime resident of this area, he was born Sept. 15, 1927, at Holman, the son of Charles 0. and Mathilda (Billeck) Bittner, and after graduation from La Grange High School attended the Merchant Marine Academy and the University of Texas. He was in the Merchant Marine Academy from June 1945 to July 1946 and served in the Army from September 1946 to December 1947.

He was a member of Weimar Memorial Post 5875, VFW, and a past president of the Lions Club and the Quarterback Club.

He married Eunice Glancy on Dec. 17, 1955, at Houston. She survives, along with two sons, Charles L. Bittner III and John David Bittner, and a daughter, Carol Lynn Bittner, all of Weimar; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles 0. Bittner of Holman; and a sister, Mrs. Forrest (Dorothy)Brooks of Columbus.

Pallbearers were Frank Heger III, William Prihoda, Emil Janek, William Glancy, Dennis Poppe and Raymond Prihoda.

Weimar Mercury, July 28, 1977

Bittner, Charles O.

Charles O. Bittner Funeral Services Held Oct. 23

Charles O. Bittner, 90, of Holman, died Oct. 21 at his home.

Funeral services were held Oct. 23 at the Weimar United Church of Christ with Rev. Norman “Skip” Sirnic officiating. Burial services were held in the Weimar Masonic Cemetery.

Mr. Bittner was born on Jan. 15, 1906 to Charles and Marie (Freis) Bittner in Holman. He attended school in Holman. On Aug. 4, 1925, he married Tillie Billeck in Weimar. He lived in this area his entire life as a farmer and a rancher.

He is survived by his wife;, Tillie of Holman; daughter, Dorothy Brooks of Columbus; Daughter-in-law, Eunice Bittner of Weimar; sisters, Clara Heller of Weimar and Marie Luecke of La Grange; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his son, Charles L. Bittner; and two brothers and two sisters.

Pallbearers were George DuRant, Donald Sronce, Matthew Sronce, Leroy Bahner, Paul Hajovsky, and Leroy Reimers

The Weimar Mercury, October 31, 1996
Transcribed by Jennie Muggli

Bittner, Charles Sr.

Death of Chas. Bittner, Sr.

Chas. Bittner, Sr one of the oldest and most respected citizens of this section, living at his home place s few miles north of Weimar, in Fayette county, died Sunday morning, and the remains were buried in the family cemetery near his residence the following Monday afternoon. Quite a number of Weimar people attended the funeral. Mr. Bittner had been in bad health for a number of years, but generally managed to "keep going," and it was not realized by his friends that the end was so near. He was a man of large affairs, owning a great deal of land and other property, a progressive, up-to-date farmer up to the time ill health forced him to give up active agricultural life, a man whose integrity was never questioned, his word being good as his bond, the truest of friends and neighbors, devoted to his family, and in every way a man of exceptional character. He leaves a widow and several children, all grown, to whom the sincere sympathy of this entire community is extended.

Weimar Mercury, April 7, 1916, page 1

Bittner, Elsie (Wanjura)

Funeral for Mrs. Bittner March 2

Funeral services for Mrs. Sylvester (Elsie) Bittner, 55 of Rt. 3, Weimar, were held Tuesday morning, held Wednesday morning, March 2, from St. Michael's Catholic Church, with burial in the parish cemetery.
Father Charles Carolan officiated.

Mrs. Bittner died of cardiac arrest in Memorial City Hospital, Houston, after two days as a patient there.

Born here April 8, 1927, she was a daughter of Frank and Emelia (Anders) Wanjura. She was married to Sylvester Bittner Sr. on Nov. 26, 1941, at St. Michael's.
Mrs. Bittner was a member of St. Ann Society, the Catholic Daughters, and the VFW Auxiliary.

Her husband survives, along with four sons, John F., James, and Michael, all of Weimar, and Sylvester Bittner Jr. of Schulenburg; three daughters, Mrs. Patricia Berger of Weimar, Mrs. Kathy Daughtrey of Industry and Mrs. Virginia Schild of Waller; 10 grandchildren; five brothers, Alvin, Joe, Charles Sr., Victor Sr., and Rudy Wanjura of Weimar; and one sister, Mrs. Mary Addicks of Weimar. Her parents and three grandchildren, John, Mark, and Rochelle Bittner, preceded her in death.

Serving as pallbearers were Lawrence Addicks, Al Joe Bittner, Rudy Till Jr., Kenneth Staff, Victor Wanjura Jr., and Fred Wick Jr.

The Weimar Mercury, March 3, 1983, page 11
Transcribed by Sandra Long Anders

Bittner, John Paul

John Bittner Funeral Here July 12

Funeral services for John Paul Bittner, 65, who died July 10 in a Beeville hospital, were held July 12 at St. Michael's Catholic Church here, with burial in the church cemetery.

Born June 26, 1908, at Nada, he was the son of George and Annie Stock Bittner. He married Hertha Kloesel here Oct. 24, 1933. They had lived in Beeville 17 years.

Mr. Bittner had been employed by Pan American Petroleum Corporation 25 years.

Survivors in addition to his wife are two daughters, Mrs. D. C. Overby of Beeville and Mrs. J. B. Driver of Seabrook; three brothers, Rudolph and Joe Bittner of Garwood and Henry of Houston; and four sisters, Mrs. Earl Templin of Baltimore, Md., Mrs. Dennis Corliss of Garwood, Mrs. Leo Dill of Nada-and Mrs. Pius Leopold of Louise.

Weimar Mercury, August 2, 1973
Contributed by Rosemary Ermis

Bittner, Marie (Freis)

Following the death of her little babe a few days ago, Mrs. Chas. Bittner, Jr., developed a case of blood poisoning and her death resulted Monday evening, the loving mother going to join her loved baby in the other and better world above. Mrs. Bittner was a Miss Freiss, and ever proved a dutiful, loving, kind wife and mother, a splendid neighbor, and her death is sincerely deplored. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the bereaved husband and children in their sad loss.

Weimar Mercury, December 8, 1911, page 1

Bittner, Rochelle Dawn

Bittner Infant Rites Saturday

Funeral services for Rochelle Dawn Bittner, 7-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John F. Bittner of Weimar, were held Saturday, April 14 from Hubbard Funeral Chapel, with burial in St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery.

Rev. Charles Carolan officiated.

Rochelle was born to John and Delores (Venghaus) Bittner on August 20, 1978, at Houston. She died Friday, April 13, at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston.

Surviving in addition to her parents are her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Bittner of Weimar and Mrs. And Mrs. Edwin Venghaus of Schulenburg; her great-grandmother, Mrs. John Bittner of Nada; and a number of aunts and uncles.

Weimar Mercury, April 19, 1979
Transcribed by Judy Talkington

Bittner, Rosa

The sad news was received in this city Tuesday morning of the death of Rosa, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Bittner, living about five miles north of town. She had been ill for some time with typhoid fever and suffered a great deal. To Mr. and Ms. Bittner in their irreparable loss THE MERCURY extends sincere condolence. [Place of interment unknown We have found that burial is in the Bittner Cemetery in Fayette County.]

Weimar Mercury, September 7, 1889

Bittner, Tillie (Billeck)

Bittner Funeral Held on Jan. 9 In Weimar

Funeral services for Mrs. Tillie Bittner, 88, of Holman were held Jan. 9 at Weimar United Church of Christ with Rev. Norman (Skip) Sirnic officiating. Burial was in the Weimar Masonic Cemetery

Mrs. Bittner died on Jan. 7 at Colorado-Fayette Medical Center.

She was born on Feb. 27, 1908 to Fred and Pavlina (Beyer) Billeck in Weimar.

Mrs. Bittner attended Bois D’Arc and Weimar schools.

She married Charles O. Bittner on Aug. 4, 1925 in Weimar and she lived in the Weimar area her entire life. She was a member of the Weimar United Church of Christ

Her husband was a farmer and rancher and he preceded her in death on Oct. 21, 1996.

Survivors include, a daughter, Dorothy Brooks of Columbus, and a daughter-in-law, Eunice Bittner of Weimar; a brother, Richard Billeck of Weimar and a sister, Mary Juergens of Weimar. Seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren also survive.

Mrs. Bittner was also preceded in death by a son, C. L. (Buck) Bittner and eight brothers and two sisters.

Pallbearers were Eugene Juergens, Edwin “Bubba” Billeck, Paul Billeck, Leroy Reimers, Dickie Billeck and Erwin Reimers.

The Weimar Mercury January 16, 1997
Transcribed by Jennie Muggli

Bittner, Walter

BABY BOY DIED WEDNESDAY MORNING OF PNEUMONIA

The little month old baby boy of Mr. and MRs. John Bittner of Nada died at their home near that place on Thursday morning of pneumonia. The funeral was held yesterday afternoon, with interment in the Nada cemetery. The many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Bittner throughout the community sympathize with them in their hour of sorrow.--Eagle Lake Headlight.

Weimar Mercury, February 22, 1924, page 3