Glenda Daven Bittle

GLENDA DAVEN BITTLE, 70 years old of Little Rock, passed from this life Aug., 8, 2014. She was born Sept. 20, 1943, to E.C. "Buddy" and Darlene Daven of Little Rock. She is survived by five siblings, Bud Daven, Jim Daven, Tim Daven, Joe Daven, and Peggy (Daven) Deere; her husband of 42 years, Kennedy Bittle; and their children, Monica Griffith (Roy), Todd Bittle (Andria), Shannon Reid (Jason), and Karen Stephens (James); and a host of grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews; and friends. She was preceded in death by one child, Tamara Kay Bittle; and three grandchildren, Evan Alford, Emma Grace Bittle, and Dallas Carson. Glenda was a graduate of Mount St. Mary's High School ('61) and began a life dedicated to Jesus Christ through serving children. She along with her husband raised five children while devoting much of their family's time to the needs of foster children in Arkansas. For over 25 years she invited more than 100 children to live in her home. Some stayed a few days, others a couple of years. She was always in favor of keeping siblings together in foster care whenever possible, and it was not uncommon to take in two or three children at a given time. Some of her achievements included being a founding member of Treatment Homes Inc. which served as one of Arkansas' first Therapeutic Foster Care agencies. She was President of Arkansas In Action, and served on the 1st Governor appointed child placement licensing committee to help unmet needs in Arkansas' foster care. She and her husband were honored with an award for Foster Family of the Year, and also enjoyed time with the Christian ministry of Children's Homes Inc. in Paragould. Much of Glenda's life story would not be complete without mentioning her long physical battle with Cystic Fibrosis. She was ever thankful to God for the strength he provided, his blessings, and his abundant mercy and grace through Jesus. She believed it is sometimes those with affliction or struggle that thrive most genuinely in Christ when they learn to need Him. She was often found encouraging someone who approached her with life's difficulties to remember one question; "What is your ultimate purpose on this earth? It is to Know, Love, and Serve God." Glenda shared that her ideal memorial would be one where friends gathered informally in the Fellowship Hall to share and encourage one another with stories of God's hand in their lives rather than a formal auditorium service honoring her. It was a common theme with her that one's worship should not be limited to the sanctuary, but reach outward toward people beyond its doors. This thought is reflected by one of her favorite scriptures: (James 1:27) "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Family and friends are invited to a memorial in her honor held at Mabelvale Church of Christ on Monday Aug., 11, 2014 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in her honor to Treatment Homes Inc. (www.treatmenthomes.org), Children's Homes, Inc. (www.childrenshomes.org), or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org).