Mrs. Blodwen (Thomas) Bitsko, 86, of Wall Township, N.J., passed away

peacefully on Friday, June 3.

Born on Sept. 6, 1929, in Coaldale, she graduated with honors from the

former Coaldale High School in 1947.

She was an honor student at the Temple School of Pharmacy.

She graduated there with a BS degree in pharmacy in 1951, having been one of

only five women in the entire graduating class.

While attending Temple, she was in the Lambda Kappa Sigma Pharmaceutical

Sorority and was a Student Council Representative.

Following college, she began working at Morgan's Apothecary on Walnut Street

in Philadelphia, one of the oldest pharmacies in the country.

She married Frank Bitsko and they moved to New Jersey in 1955, residing

initially on Eighth Avenue in Wall Township, before moving to Hemlock Avenue

in Wall Township, where she spent the rest of her life.

After moving to New Jersey, she worked in the pharmacy at the Paul Kimball

Hospital, Lakewood, and then working successively at Squan Drugs and Main

Pharmacy in Manasquan and then Thrift/Eckerd/Rite Aid Pharmacy in Belmar,

eventually retiring from Rite Aid in 2005.

After retirement, she enjoyed the company of her friends and family and

especially the company of her grandchildren.

She was particularly fond of knitting and created beautiful Afghans and

clothing for her family.

She loved to cook and bake and her homemade stuffed cabbage was always a

fast selling item at Old Mill School fundraisers.

She was predeceased by her husband Frank in 1995.

Surviving are two sisters, Mildred Demyanovich of San Diego, CA, and Myrle

Tipping, and her husband, Dr. Richard Tipping, of Tuscaloosa, AL; an uncle,

William Terry of High Ridge, MO; three children, Gregory, and his wife,

Jenia, of Eatontown, Frank, and his wife, Susan, of Howell, and Kimberly,

and her husband, Vincent, of Wall Township; eight grandchildren and five

great-grandchildren.

She loved her work as a pharmacist because she was able to help so many and

she was always proud to say, "I was a pharmacist for 53 years."

Her family, friends and religion provided much joy and fulfillment in her

life and her absence will be felt by all who knew her.

Service: Memorial service 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, Kingdom Hall of

Jehovah's Witnesses, 301 River Ave., Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.

Arrangements by O'Brien Funeral Home, Wall, N.J.

Published in the Times News, Lehighton, PA, on Monday, June 6, 2016

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