Charles Bittenbring III, Navy Officer And Engineer, 89, Washington Post
DGH
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/23/AR2009072303582_2.html
Charles Bittenbring III Navy Officer, Engineer
Charles Bittenbring III, 89, a deputy director of military construction for
the Navy Department who also served in the Navy as a civil engineer, died of
pneumonia July 15 [2009] at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington County.
He began his Naval career in 1945, serving as a civil engineer and a member
of the Seabees until his retirement as a captain in 1970. His last
active-duty assignment was as a vice chief of real property in the
Washington region. From 1972 until his retirement in 1983, he worked as a
civilian with the Navy Department.
Capt. Bittenbring, a native of New Orleans, received a bachelor's degree in
engineering from Tulane University in 1940. He moved to the Washington
region in 1963 and was an Arlington resident. He was active with the Boy
Scouts from 1968 until 1995, serving as Scoutmaster of Troop 162 from 1971
until 1987. He was awarded Wood Badge beads for scouting leadership and
received the Silver Beaver for distinguished service to youth.
He served on the Arlington Commission on Aging and was its chairman from
1989 to 1994. He also was a member of AARP and was a past president of the
Arlington chapter, director of the Northern Virginia district and Virginia
state president from 1996 to 2000.
Capt. Bittenbring was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Arlington
and a past superintendent of its Sunday school. He also led Bible study
groups.
His wife of nine years, Patricia Ripp Bittenbring, died in 1957, and his
wife of 20 years, Sybil Combs Bittenbring, died in 1998.
Survivors include his wife of nine years, Louise Rea Bittenbring of
Arlington; four children from his first marriage, Karen Neilson of Troutman,
N.C., Charles Bittenbring IV of Captain Cook, Hawaii, John Bittenbring of
Williamsburg and Laurie Gonzalez of San Diego; an adopted daughter, Anna
Palazzotto of Baton Rouge; and four stepchildren, Rebecca Pirocchi of Oak
Hill, Robert Rea of Escondido, Calif., Rick Rea of North Myrtle Beach, S.C.,
and Cyndi Callahan of Springfield; and 16 grandchildren.
--
Lauren Wiseman