It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of beloved mother and grandmother Patricia Metro Bittenbender of Buckhorn on September 6, 2025.

Patricia "Pat" was born in Cleveland, OH on December 7th, 1948 to the late Joseph P. and Anna (Shelapinsky) Metro. After her family relocated to the area, she was a proud member of the Bloomsburg High School class of 1966 where she was often found on the sidelines assisting her father, the school gym teacher and coach. She married her high school sweetheart, Garey Max Bittenbender, while she attended college at Cornell University for Home Economics and he was on leave from the Air Force. She was a member of the first co ed housing at the University, a landmark event at the time. After a class in finance sparked a new interest in the corporate world and a relocation to Alexandria, Virginia, she continued her education at George Mason College of the University of Virginia, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and numerous Dean's List recognitions. She enjoyed working as an auditing accountant at Price Waterhouse Cooper until returning to Bloomsburg in 1975 following her parents' passing. Pat joined Geisinger Medical Center where she held the position of Vice President of Finance for many years, later serving tenures as a Principal at Ernst & Young in Philadelphia and as a Partner at KPMG in Harrisburg. She retired following a closing chapter as an Independent Advisor for nursing facility mergers and acquisitions. She worked with local organizations such as the Animal Resource Center of Columbia County and the Buckhorn Concerned Citizens Group as well as a brief time as a board member at the Danville Daycare Center. Her true passion and pride was her family. After an amicable divorce, she and Garey remained close; sharing daily calls and frequent family events with his significant other Liz Parks. She enjoyed visits with relatives in Charleroi, PA, Ann Arbor, MI and Thayne, WY. An adventurous traveler, she explored destinations from the beaches of New England to the deserts of Arizona and the mountains of Alaska.

She is survived by her son John Max Bittenbender and wife Tina Helm Bittenbender of Bloomsburg, daughter Nancy Ann Warmkessel and husband Jeffrey Ray Warmkessel of Crosswicks, NJ as well as her older brother, Joseph Metro and wife Audrey of Balsam Lake, WI and younger sister Nancy M. Klink and husband William of Bloomsburg. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, Garret Jeffrey Warmkessel, Ashley Paige Warmkessel, Johan "Max" Helm Bittenbender and many nieces and nephews. Her legacy also carries on in the bloodlines of French Warmblood horses with the breeding program that she began at Triple B Farm and is continued by her daughter, Nancy.

A time of Visitation for family and friends will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Allen Funeral Home, Inc., 745 Market at Eighth Street, Bloomsburg. The Allen Funeral Home, Inc. is honored to be serving the Bittenbender family.

Memorial contributions in Patricia's name are suggested to: EOS Therapeutic Riding Center 288 Dahl Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 or the Buckhorn Fire Company, 19 Firehall Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.