Anne Bittner passed away peacefully on September 7, 2026 at the age of 92 of natural causes. She was as bright, strong and quick witted as ever until her passing.
Anne Bittner
She was born on January 1, 1934 to John Wink and Catherine O’Halloran and raised in Baldwin, Long Island. She went on to marry her beloved Paul Bittner and they shared nearly 70 years of marriage together. In their newlywed days they enjoyed boat rides and freshly caught blue crab sandwiches with friends on Long Island. Shortly thereafter they settled in Pound Ridge, New York, at their home “Picnic Hill” for the majority of their time together where they raised their two children, Edward and Karen.
With just a high school diploma, Anne returned to her education in her mid thirties and began a highly accomplished and impressive career for herself as the town clerk for Pound Ridge for several decades. Anne and her husband loved Pound Ridge whole heartedly and were pillars of their community and their New Canaan, Connecticut church Saint Aloysius.
Anne is survived by her daughter Karen Bittner Duffley, her husband Paul Duffley, and her grandchildren, Elizabeth Bittner Little and husband Travis Little, Alexandra Duffley Costaras and husband James Costaras, Jack Duffley and wife Ansley Duffley, Kathryn Duffley, and great grandchild George Costaras along with another on the way in the Little family.
Anne, “Grammy”, and now “Gigi” will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Her legacy is built on her unwavering resilience, faith, wisdom, love, sharp intelligence and wit. We will remember her as the first at the kitchen table early in the mornings quietly with her coffee and New York Times crossword that never went unfinished. She was an incredible wealth of knowledge on all topics and her hands were always busy. From sewing her children’s clothing, to her grandchildren’s halloween costumes, knitting endless baby blankets and sweaters to all of the holiday meals in between. Her life was full of caring for her family and service to her community out of earnest joy. She was a master class at taking life one day at a time and how to rest life’s worries in God. She was fiercely independent, warm, no nonsense, funny, a bright cheery light to all and the rock that grounded her loved ones. Those who knew her admired and love her tremendously. She was a profoundly devoted mother, wife, and person of faith.
A service to celebrate her life will be held at Saint Aloysius Church in New Canaan on September 21st. Interment will be in the Pound Ridge Cemetery.