Obituary for Velva I Bittner (Bassett)
"I heard a nice little story the other day. The story is about a little wave, bobbing along in the
ocean, having a grand old time. He's enjoying the wind and the fresh air-until henotices the other
waves in front of him crashing against the shore.
'My God, this is terrible,' the wave says. 'Look what's going to happen to me!'
Then along comes another wave. It sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him, 'Why do
you look so sad?'
The first wave says, 'You don't understand! We're all going to crash! All of us waves are going to
be nothing! Isn't it terrible?'
The second wave says, 'No you don't understand. You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean.'"
- Morrie Schwartz, as quoted in Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
Velva llean Bittner, who died July 29, 2023, at the age of 99, was indeed part of the ocean. For
over 60 years, llean lived in her beloved home along the shore of Pomeroy Cove on Dover Point Road.
This cherished spot became part of her identity. She was affectionately known as the "Duck Lady of
Dover Point," as she made a daily habit of feeding the hundreds of ducks that waddled into her
backyard. Her fervor for walking her furry dog friends on the bike path along the water also became
a daily ritual. She cherished the sight of ships and sailboats floating along the Piscataqua River.
Her neighbors grew accustomed to greeting her in the front yard of her house at the start of the
community bike path. It was this warm personality and gift of gab that made llean a friend to many.
Though llean was born on May 12, 1924 in the small coal mining town of Macdonaldton, Pennsylvania
to Martha Smith and Albert Bassett, she would soon travel the world after meeting her best friend.
llean married Charles K. ("Ken") Bittner in 1943, while he was stationed In Missouri. It was Ken's
career in the Air Force that took llean to live in places like Germany, Puerto Rico, Texas,
Washington, D.C., and finally, New Hampshire, where they lived together until Ken's death in 2003.
While this military lifestyle provided llean the opportunity to experience different cultures, it also posed a challenge to the stability of starting a family.
That llean wholeheartedly embraced this challenge ls a testament to her strength and tenacity as a
devoted mother to the six sons that she and Ken raised: Charles ("Chuck") Sr. (& wife Maggie of
Exeter, NH), Edward (deceased), Jack (& wife Sandy of Bellingham, WA), Sammy (& wife Bonnie of
Dover, NH), Barry (& wife Diana of Franklinton, NC), and Gary (deceased). Her children fondly
remember her commitment as a den mother for the Cub Scouts, as well as her regular presence in
support of all her sons' sporting events. One of llean's most important roles was that of mother to
her children.
As llean's sons grew and started their own families, she began establishing a legacy as a loving
grandmother to 10 grandchildren (and eventually a great-grandmother to 10 great-grandchildren!) Her
grandchildren remember her as someone who took an active interest in raising and supporting them.
llean would regularly host her grandchildren at her house to play board games with them (Yahtzee
was a favorite). She would take them on walks along the water. She would teach them how to feed the
ducks gently, without scaring any away. She would sit with them, perusing through endless
collections of Audubon books and National Geographic magazines, learning about wildlife.
In all her relationships, llean led with kindness. Whether interacting with close family members or
complete strangers, she always was willing to offer her time, listen to someone's problem, share a
story. It is this legacy of warmth and compassion for which llean will be remembered. And just as
the ocean- where one wave leads the way for the next, and each successive wave thereafter--llean
has left a wake of love and tenderness for the very full family she leaves behind.
ocean, having a grand old time. He's enjoying the wind and the fresh air-until henotices the other
waves in front of him crashing against the shore.
'My God, this is terrible,' the wave says. 'Look what's going to happen to me!'
Then along comes another wave. It sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him, 'Why do
you look so sad?'
The first wave says, 'You don't understand! We're all going to crash! All of us waves are going to
be nothing! Isn't it terrible?'
The second wave says, 'No you don't understand. You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean.'"
- Morrie Schwartz, as quoted in Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
Velva llean Bittner, who died July 29, 2023, at the age of 99, was indeed part of the ocean. For
over 60 years, llean lived in her beloved home along the shore of Pomeroy Cove on Dover Point Road.
This cherished spot became part of her identity. She was affectionately known as the "Duck Lady of
Dover Point," as she made a daily habit of feeding the hundreds of ducks that waddled into her
backyard. Her fervor for walking her furry dog friends on the bike path along the water also became
a daily ritual. She cherished the sight of ships and sailboats floating along the Piscataqua River.
Her neighbors grew accustomed to greeting her in the front yard of her house at the start of the
community bike path. It was this warm personality and gift of gab that made llean a friend to many.
Though llean was born on May 12, 1924 in the small coal mining town of Macdonaldton, Pennsylvania
to Martha Smith and Albert Bassett, she would soon travel the world after meeting her best friend.
llean married Charles K. ("Ken") Bittner in 1943, while he was stationed In Missouri. It was Ken's
career in the Air Force that took llean to live in places like Germany, Puerto Rico, Texas,
Washington, D.C., and finally, New Hampshire, where they lived together until Ken's death in 2003.
While this military lifestyle provided llean the opportunity to experience different cultures, it also posed a challenge to the stability of starting a family.
That llean wholeheartedly embraced this challenge ls a testament to her strength and tenacity as a
devoted mother to the six sons that she and Ken raised: Charles ("Chuck") Sr. (& wife Maggie of
Exeter, NH), Edward (deceased), Jack (& wife Sandy of Bellingham, WA), Sammy (& wife Bonnie of
Dover, NH), Barry (& wife Diana of Franklinton, NC), and Gary (deceased). Her children fondly
remember her commitment as a den mother for the Cub Scouts, as well as her regular presence in
support of all her sons' sporting events. One of llean's most important roles was that of mother to
her children.
As llean's sons grew and started their own families, she began establishing a legacy as a loving
grandmother to 10 grandchildren (and eventually a great-grandmother to 10 great-grandchildren!) Her
grandchildren remember her as someone who took an active interest in raising and supporting them.
llean would regularly host her grandchildren at her house to play board games with them (Yahtzee
was a favorite). She would take them on walks along the water. She would teach them how to feed the
ducks gently, without scaring any away. She would sit with them, perusing through endless
collections of Audubon books and National Geographic magazines, learning about wildlife.
In all her relationships, llean led with kindness. Whether interacting with close family members or
complete strangers, she always was willing to offer her time, listen to someone's problem, share a
story. It is this legacy of warmth and compassion for which llean will be remembered. And just as
the ocean- where one wave leads the way for the next, and each successive wave thereafter--llean
has left a wake of love and tenderness for the very full family she leaves behind.