Joe Bailey "J.B." Bitner

Joe Bailey Bitner, Jr., or J. B. as he was called, was born in the middle of a snowstorm on April 9, 1938, in San Angelo, Texas. His parents were Joe Bailey and Tennie Bitner. They took him home the next day to the little farm in Veribest where he lived until he left to attend Baylor University after graduating from San Angelo High School in 1956. Between those two events he welcomed his sister, Nancy Sue, attended school in Veribest, and rode Mr. Henry’s bus into San Angelo to attend Edison Junior High and then San Angelo High School.

JB attended Baylor on a ministerial scholarship after hearing the Lord’s call to be a preacher came to him very strongly while working on the farm. He thought maybe the Lord made a mistake when he left for Waco with $50 in his pocket. He worked at many jobs to support himself.

In his junior year at Baylor he was called to preach at the Pleasant Springs Baptist Church in Palestine, Texas. Brother Funderburk recommended him after having met JB while he was the pastor of Veribest Baptist Church. JB stayed at that little church for the next eight years while he finished Baylor and seminary.

In 1960 JB married Patsy Ann Martin whom he met on a blind date. They were blessed with three wonderful children over the next eight years: Julian Byron, Shelley Beth, and Bailey Keith.

In late 1968, JB was called to pastor the Southside Baptist Church in Monahans until August of 1970 when he was called to the First Baptist Church of Wolfforth. From there they moved to Big Lake where they spent the next 27 years. The saying goes that “Living is great in Big Lake,” and it really was for the Bitner family. JB was able to have a wide ministry which included ringing the Salvation Army bell at Christmas and helping needy people passing through Big Lake who seemed to find his address on some telephone pole. He welcomed and was welcome in all churches as part of the Ministerial Alliance. He particularly enjoyed his friendship and association with Brother Hoyle Smith. JB also had lots of opportunities to play dominoes and golf.

In 2004 Pat and JB moved to San Angelo to enjoy retirement. They joined Southland Baptist and quickly became involved in its ministry. He enjoyed lots of golf at the San Angelo Country Club. As often as possible he had his domino buddies from Big Lake over for an afternoon of dominoes.

He soon was called to an interim pastorate with Ozona’s First Baptist Church. When that ended he began the same role at First Baptist of Eldorado. He was truly blessed by friendships he formed in both churches.

Pat and JB moved to the Baptist Retirement Community but only enjoyed a few months before JB went into Sagecrest for memory care. There he received wonderful care, for which we thank all the staff there along with EncompassCare Hospice.

JB is survived by his wife, whom he just called Pat; son Keith of Midland; son Byron of Big Lake and his son Zane’s family, Kimmi, Corey and Lily of San Angelo; daughter, Shelley and her husband Dr. Scott Blanton of San Angelo and their daughters, Samantha and husband Evan and children Evelyn, Kash, and Stella of Montgomery; and Sabrina and husband Dhalston Cagle and their son Drennan of Plano who will soon be joined by a brother and sister.

Other survivors include his sister Nancy Sue Roberts and her children, Gene and Suzy, Jim and Theresa, and Charla and Chris Blackwell with all their children and grandchildren, and two aunts, Ernestine Watson of Monahans, and Jimmie Sue Pope of San Angelo and their children and grandchildren. There are Bitner cousins and other family relations too numerous to name but two are thankful for each of you. Cathy Stripling is family and caregiver to both JB and Pat and we rely on her a lot.

More to come about J.B.'s life and ministry.

If you were ever JB’s friend, you were always his friend and you are invited to join his family in a Celebration of JB’s Life and Ministry. It will be Sunday, November 8, at 2:00, in the Multipurpose Building of Southland Baptist Church, San Angelo, Texas. Memorials may be given to Southland Baptist Church, Water for All, First Baptist Church of Big Lake.