Our loving father and grandfather, Willis Allen Bitner, returned to our Heavenly Father on August 12, 2021, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Willis was born August 19, 1922, in Parleys Park, Utah to Milton O. Bitner and Edith Olson. He attended Forest Elementary, Irving Junior High, graduated from East High School, and attended the University of Utah, including involvement in ROTC.
He worked on the Bitner Ranch near Park City with his dad and brothers for all his life. He also worked for the State Road for a short time. He would go to Vernon, Utah often to visit his relatives and he met his sweetheart, Elaine. One day, when Elaine went to the ranch to help Willis’ mother, Edith, cook for the sheep shearers, Willis walked into the kitchen and asked her to marry him. He married Florence Elaine Pehrson on June 8, 1949, in the Salt Lake Temple. After they married, they moved to the ranch where they spent most of the rest of their life.
Willis and Elaine are parents of Dennis (Linda), Jeffrey (Guila), DeLoy (Robin), Kristie, Brad (LeeAnn), Kaylene Hughes (Don), and Michelle Patey (Robert). They have 18 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
Willis was preceded in death by his wonderful wife, Elaine, an infant grandson, Christopher Allen, his parents Milton and Edith Bitner, and brothers Blaine, Vaughn, Keith, Lee, and his sister Joyce.
Willis spent most of his life at his beloved ranch. He loved putting up hay and was still baling into his early 90’s. He loved taking care of the animals. He could fix just about anything. If he couldn’t fix it, he would figure out how to make it work. He frequently would build something he needed but couldn’t buy. He mended fences, fixed equipment, appliances, cars, even built the barn door. He was artistic. He loved elephants. Willis loved to watch golf, going to KFC for chicken fried steak weekly, eating a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and large Diet Coke every day for his last years. He loved watching The Sound of Music and watching old westerns on TV. He insisted on wearing a baseball cap (usually with “Union Pacific” on it) pretty much all the time and he loved trains and John Deere tractors. His plan was to ride the Frontrunner on his birthday this year, something he did almost every year for the last decade. It was not to be. He loved hunting with his family. The Ranch meant the world to him, and he couldn’t wait to visit it from his home in Salt Lake during his later years, even after his stroke. He was fond of many things, but most of all his family. He remained a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until the end.
We love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around your neck. Thanks for everything, Dad. We will miss you tons.
The family will receive friends on Friday, August 20, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary and from 12:00 noon to 1:15 pm on August 21 at the Church. Funeral services will be Saturday, August 21, at 1:30 pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1950 South 1200 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. Enter Church parking lot, west of building, using driveway on north side. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. Face masks are strongly encouraged.
May view on Zoom at:
https://zoom.us/j/92846490035?pwd=VHB1aldFWGE5Mk5nU0FKYVdKTk5zUT09
Meeting ID: 928 4649 0035
Passcode: 184392
