Jo Bitzer

VERONA-Jo Ann Bitzer died February 25, 2017 at the family home at age 86. The family lived in the Town of Verona. She was married for 63 years to Lloyd Frank Bitzer.

Jo Ann was born in McLeansboro, Illinois, to Guy Eblen and Gladys (Jacobs) Eblen. She attended high school at McLeansboro, graduating in 1948. She completed her B.S and M.A. degrees at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where she was a champion debater and orator. She and Lloyd came to Madison in 1961 when he became an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jo Ann acted on the principle that each person can make a difference. She served as an elected Town of Verona Supervisor for 25 years, was Chair of the Town Plan Commission, was a member of the FitchRona EMS Commission, and upon her retirement from elected office served as resident/citizen volunteer on various subcommittees. During Jo Ann's tenure as an elected official, the Town adopted its first comprehensive land use plan, a formal annual Town budget approval process, implemented a voter registration ordinance, formulated an emergency service district, sought approval of an ordinance establishing a five member town board, and enacted numerous other ordinances promoting a progressive local unit of government. Her knowledge of the Town of Verona's past practices and history provided valuable insight not only to local elected officials, but town staff as well. She was a long time member and leader in the League of Women Voters. During retirement, Jo Ann and Lloyd worked together on a biography of English deist Peter Annet.

She is survived by: a daughter Jo Claire and her husband Herman Tucker, Madison; a son Evan, Verona; two grandchildren, Danny (Kimberly) and Jolene Bitzer, and their mother Kim; and a great-grandson Lincoln Eric Bitzer. Her husband Lloyd and two sons predeceased her: Eric T. Bitzer (father of Danny and Jolene), and Jeffrey C. Bitzer.

No words can convey how much she will be missed by family and friends.

Cress Funeral Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
(608) 238-3434