Kenneth Robert Bitney's Obituary
In Remembrance -- Kenneth Robert Bitney Aug 11, 1944 – Feb 14, 2022
Kenneth Robert Bitney, 77, of Escondido, California passed away on February 14th, 2022 after complications from dementia.
Bob was born on August 11, 1944 to Edith Ann and Lester L. Bitney in Madison, Wisconsin as the youngest of six children. After Bob graduated High School in Madison he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1962.
Bob met his wife Lucy (Pao Feng) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan while stationed there in the Navy. They married in 1968, and moved together to San Diego in 1969.
After leaving the Navy in 1973, Bob joined the U.S. Postal Service where he served for more than 30 years. In 2006, Bob retired and spent his time dedicated to SGI-USA Buddhist activities and to looking after his beloved pet cats.
Bob was a fixture in the San Diego SGI Buddhist community. He devoted many years to caring for others and supporting their Buddhist practice as SGI Escondido district leader. Bob opened his home several times each month, hosting Buddhist meetings for SGI members and guests. He volunteered at SGI San Marcos Buddhist Center.
Bob was his wife’s constant companion. He drove and accompanied her, and was always by her side. He will be remembered as a loving and supportive husband and as a generous SGI Buddhist leader. His gentle and kind-hearted nature was easily seen in his cheerful reply, “Just peachy!” whenever asked, “How are you?”
Bob is survived by wife Lucy, daughter Ming-Sang and family, brother and sister-in-law, Jerry and Joanne (Jo), sister Kay Bitney Flach, oldest niece Karen Nielsen, and other nephews and nieces.
A military funeral honors service will be held at Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego, CA 92122 on Tuesday, March 8th, 2022 at 2:30pm.
“From the perspective of Buddhism,
the end of this life is the departure
toward our next existence.
Life-to-life ties forged in this present existence
are not severed or extinguished by death.
Though they may be invisible,
Like radio waves, these connections endure eternally.”
Daisaku Ikeda
‘Living Buddhism’
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