Cordon Douglas Bittner

Cordon Douglas Bittner of Oak Grove, OR passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on 2/2/22. He had a valiant two-and-a- half-year battle with Glioblastoma, cared for by an OHSU neuro- oncology team and Providence Hospice.

Cordon was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon in 1949. He graduated from Univ. of Oregon in 1971 and received his medical degree from U of O Medical School in 1975. He met Janell Jensen in Portland and they married in 1974. They were together for 50 years and married for 47 of them.

After his graduation they moved to San Bernardino, CA for Cordon’s three-yr. family medicine residency. In 1978, they moved to Longview, WA to join Family Physicians and begin their own family and a rewarding 37 year career. Cordon participated in Longview Rotary, his church choir and volunteered his time to help start Cowlitz Free Clinic. As a doctor, Cordon was loved and respected by his patients, staff and the medical community for the level of thoughtfulness and commitment he brought to his work. He was passionate about giving his best to his patients at Family Physicians and later Peace Health Medical Group.

In his personal life he was passionate about family, acoustic guitar, song writing, the outdoors, photography, skiing, backpacking, word games, and ice cream. During the last two years of his life, Cordon achieved his legacy goal of creating a songbook of his own compositions with the help of his brother, sister-in-law, and wife. Friends and family generously volunteered to sing and record many of his songs that are now on a digital playlist forever.

Cordon is survived by his wife, Janell; son, Olin (Rachel); daughter, Emily Malecky (Aaron); three grandchildren (Robert 7, Calvin 4, Ava six mos.); brother Harlan (Becky).

A Celebration of Life will be held at Longview Community Church on May 7. Remembrances may be made to Cowlitz Free Clinic - P.O. Box 2853 Longview, WA 98632