Phebe Helen Bitner

Phebe ‘Helen’ (Lewis) Bitner, 95, passed away peacefully on February 18th, 2026 near Lake City, Michigan. She was born November 29th, 1930 to Minard Lewis and Ruby (Adams) Lewis in Freeport, Michigan, the youngest of 3 children. From a very young age, she enjoyed singing and playing piano, and through the years, taught Sunday School classes, worked in churches, children's camps, and Vacation Bible Schools, taking leadership opportunities when offered, including co-pastoring a church in Lake Odessa, Michigan. In 1947, Helen enrolled in Houghton College, New York, majoring in Bible and Christian Ed, and minoring in Greek. After graduating in 1951, she taught 6th grade in the public school system, then returned to Houghton College from 1964 until 1968 as a member of the faculty, helping to develop the Elementary Education program. In December 1972, she earned a doctorate in Early Child Education at Ohio State University, and went on to teach teachers at Indiana University in South Bend. During her time in South Bend, she housed and 'adopted' several college students from China. One student, David Gu, later came back to Helen's home in South Bend with his 2 sons, Joshua, 5, and Daniel, 3, after David's wife, HuiShan, passed away in September of 1994. Helen has always been Mother and Grandmother to this family. Also, 'adopted' student, Shan Liu, along with her husband, Dhao, and their 2 children, Billy and namesake, Helen, affectionately claim her as Mother and Grandmother. In 1980, Helen traveled to Hong Kong through OMS INTERNATIONAL for a brief time to teach English as a second language there. When China regained control of Hong Kong, she returned to South Bend. In 1996, she took a teaching position in Shanghai, China. In 2006, at the age of 75, she married Robert ‘Bob’ Bitner, who had been a fellow classmate during her Houghton College years. He and his first wife and 4 children had been missionaries to Haiti. Bob and Helen lived in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania near Bob’s family. She is survived by many nieces and nephews, children of her sister, Elissa (Vernon) Paulson: Rachel (Don) Reed of Siloam Springs, Arkansas; Naomi (Paul) VanLiew of Phoenix, Arizona; Paul (Mary) Paulson of Interlochen, Michigan; Faith (Nariman) Sodeifi of Scottsdale, Arizona; Sharon Ream of Mesick, Michigan; Dan (Susan) Paulson of Cedar Valley, Michigan; Nichy Paulson of Cedar Springs, Michigan; Thom (Donna) Paulson of Traverse City, Michigan; Karen (Mike) Grogan of Cadillac, Michigan; and Hope Hunter of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is also survived by her South Bend adopted family, David Gu, Joshua (Soraya) Gu, Leila and Elian; and Daniel Lewis (Danielle) Gu, and their son Cameron Lewis Gu; Shan Liu (Di) Zhao, Billy, and Helen. Helen is also survived by Bob's four children: Rebecca (Joseph) Hartt, David (Catherine) Bitner, Paul (Karen) Bitner, Peter (Carolyn) Bitner, 12 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren, and a sister-in-law, Lois Tamkin. She was preceded in death by her brother, Meredith Lewis; sister, Elissa Paulson; brother-in-law Vernon Paulson; nephews, Philip Paulson, Jim Ream and Timothy Paulson; great-niece, Dana Ream; great-great niece, Brittany Greene; husband, Robert Bitner, and adopted daughter-in-law, HuiShan Gu. A family memorial service will take place during a reunion gathering in June. Memorial tributes may be made to Jennings Community Church, 696 S. LaChance Road, Lake City, Michigan, 49651. An online guestbook is available at www.petersonfh.com.

Phebe Helen Bitner

November 29, 1930 - February 18, 2026