Our People of the Century Harker Bitters: In Stow Creek, His Work Affected the Lives of Many

In the tight-knit community of Stow Creek Township, the name A. Harker Bitters will be long remembered.

Some will remember Bitters, who died last January at age 79, as an avid baseball player and a founder of West Cumberland Little League. Others will connect him to the Cohansey Baptist Church where he was a trustee for 48 years.

Others will think of him as a new volunteer firefighter, and a few more will remember his nearly 20 years in the '50s, '60s and '70s on the Stow Creek School Board.

Everyone, no doubt, will think of him as the mayor of Stow Creek. Bitters served on the township committee for 39 years and was mayor for 23.

"He was very public oriented," said Dale Cruzan Sr., who served on the township committee with Bitters. "Whatever time it took to do a job, he was willing to do it. He stood up for what was right."

Bitters was outgoing and liked by everyone, according to his son, Daniel.

"He voiced his opinion no matter how it was taken – and then that was the end of it. He never held a grudge," Bitters said."I miss him."