Reubin Bitz

Reubin E. Bitz, 90, Bismarck died September 29, 2007 at a Bismarck Hospital. Services will be held at 10:30 AM Thursday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Laurie Natwick officiating. Burial will be in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan with military rites provided by VFW Post 1326. Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM Wednesday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, and continue one hour prior to services at the church. Reubin E. Bitz was born on April 25, 1917, ten miles southwest of Hazelton, ND, in Emmons County, to Emanuel and Elizabeth Schlepp Bitz. He was raised and educated southeast of Hazelton. Reubin helped in the family farming operation and in their trucking business. On February 6, 1942, he entered the armed services at Ft. Snelling in Minneapolis, MN. He received his basic training at Camp Walters in Texas, and was further trained at Camp Bowie, TX, and Fort Dix in NJ. Reubin's company was shipped to England where he was on guard duty at Kingston on the Thames. He served as a guard in a prison camp at Oran, Africa, was on outpost duty in Algiers, and was on guard duty with the Military Police on Corsica Island on the south coast of France and at Strasburg, France. Reubin was honorably discharged from Camp McCoy, WI, on November 29, 1945, and returned to Bismarck, ND. He was proud to have served his nation during World War II. Reubin married Viola Wildermuth at Beulah, ND, on January 27, 1946. They lived in Beulah for four years, then moved to Dickinson, ND, in 1950. Reubin worked as a salesman for Dickinson Supply Auto Sales for 27 years and for L.J. Schuster, Co., from 1977 until his retirement in 1997. He and Viola moved to Bismarck in 1999. Reubin was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Dickinson, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bismarck. He was a life member of the Elks Club. He enjoyed golfing, traveling, dancing, playing cards, fishing, and shooting pool. This kind and gentle man was deeply loved and will be dearly missed by his family and many good friends. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Rod and Jackie Bitz of Surprise, AZ; his two grandchildren, Julie Bitz of Portland, OR, and Jamie and Emily Bitz of Richmond, VI; his two brothers and sisters-in-law, Floyd and Viola Bitz and Leo and Emily Bitz; his sister, Matilda Soule of Bismarck, ND; and many nieces and nephews. Reubin was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Viola; and his sister, Elma Parsons.

Reubin Bitz

April 25, 1917 - September 29, 2007