John Bitner passed away on May 14, 2020 after enjoying to the maximum, in spite of Lewy Body Dementia, many wonderful moments and memories with his wife Debra in their dream home in Ft. Myers Florida.
John is survived by his beloved wife, Debra Bitner, and His stepsons Jeremy and Christopher Brooks, his children, Jennifer, Nathan, and Molly, and their mother, Mary Waldron; his grandchildren, Isabella and Sierra Bitner, and his loving niece, Rachel Buckner and pop pop to Waylon who would brighten Johns day with a face time call!
Born on June 4, 1944, in Tonawanda, NY, John studied Fine Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology. His accomplished 50+ year career blended art, and design and engineering in packaging, and spanned multiple market signets and disciplines.
Recognized internationally for his work with the Consumer Products Safety Commission for over twenty-five years to protect the lives of our children while improving the quality of life for seniors, John was in the forefront of investigative research related to improved seal integrity and higher barrier performance through adhesion technology, advanced tooling design, equipment innovation, and award-winning structural design.
The Wall Street Journal hailed John Bitner's efforts as "evangelical" for senior-friendly packaging and the Public Broadcast System produced a documentary on the challenges of universal design, featuring John's achievements.
He never tired of testing and pushing packaging and technology to make life safe and secure for the young and the elderly. Nor did he tire of a good 18 holes of golf, a drink with a friend, singing with his wife, or thinking of how to make life better. Artist, designer, packaging industry icon, friend. Memorials can be made to Hope Hospice in Ft Myers Florida 33913 Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - Fort Myers.
Virtual wake via Zoom
Colleagues, friends, and family will gather virtually to pay respects and celebrate John’s life.
Time: May 29, 2020 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85441074735?pwd=UXhSM2hTbUxleWYzWDMxbytTdEtvdz09
Meeting ID: 854 4107 4735
Password: 994021
