![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/files\/2024\/12\/Doris-and-Ed-1.jpg\")
Much in the way that the stitches of a quilt bring beautiful pieces of cloth together, Elizabethtown College\u2019s supportive, caring, and vibrant community fosters lifelong connections and meaningful friendships.<\/p>\nMuch in the way that the stitches of a quilt bring beautiful pieces of cloth together, Elizabethtown College\u2019s supportive, caring, and vibrant community fosters lifelong connections and meaningful friendships.<\/p>\n
It was a hand-sewn quilt, lovingly crafted as a gift to honor a beloved Etown Accounting professor, that was the catalyst for a recent joyful reunion of two Blue Jay alums.<\/p>\n
More than 20 years after their last meeting, Doris (Kopp) Bitting \u201952 and Kent Whiting \u201982 spent several hours reconnecting and reminiscing in Doris\u2019 Elizabethtown home during the spring of 2024. Their reunion also served as a way for Kent to take possession of the exquisite quilt, which had been made by his late wife, Jill, for Doris\u2019 late husband, Etown Professor of Accounting Emeritus Dr. Ed Bitting \u201950 H\u201987.<\/p>\n
Doris and Kent\u2019s relationship dates back to the early 1980s when Kent was majoring in Accounting at Etown. Kent was a member and officer of the Accounting Club that Ed advised. Kent, who wed Jill during his junior year, fondly recalled their close relationship with the Bittings and how they participated in club trips to Groff\u2019s Farm and exciting adventures at the Bitting\u2019s cabin in Perry County.<\/p>\n
The Bittings were known for mentoring students as well as fostering relationships and instilling life lessons beyond the classroom. \u201cI met my husband through the College, and we both dedicated much of our lives to serving Etown students,\u201d Doris said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have children, so the students were our family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doris said she and Ed were fond of Kent and admired his work ethic, adding that he would often help Ed with projects while a student at Etown.<\/p>\n
The full-size quilt was presented to Ed by the senior Accounting majors a few weeks before their 1982 graduation. Earlier, each senior had signed their name on a piece of paper. Jill then transferred the printed signatures and hand stitched them onto the quilt. \u201cShe was a very creative person, and she had been a very active quilter since her teens,\u201d Kent said. \u201cIt is kind of mind blowing to me because, to this day, I\u2019m not really sure how she stitched those signatures.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doris said they were impressed with the precision and talent involved in making the quilt, and it has been a treasured keepsake and proudly displayed in their home for more than 40 years. Doris had long hoped to return the quilt to Kent, as she does not have any family members to pass it down to.<\/p>\n
Kent and Doris\u2019 time together this past spring was spent exchanging stories about Ed\u2019s exploits both in and out of the classroom and updating each other on their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is still in the same house, and it is very much the same from what I remember,\u201d Kent said. \u201cEd\u2019s picture is still prominently displayed. It was very moving to see her again and talk about old times and reminisce about things we did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following his graduation from Etown, Kent went on to earn a master\u2019s degree in Information Systems from Penn State University and served in high-profile roles at Rite Aid Corporation, Capital BlueCross, FluidEdge Consulting, and The University of Pennsylvania prior to his retirement. He is remarried, enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren, and volunteers at his local library.<\/p>\n
Doris holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in Business Education from Etown and earned a master\u2019s degree in Business Education from Temple University. For many years, she served as an adjunct Business Education instructor at Etown and was instrumental in supporting the Department of Business during Ed\u2019s 18-year tenure as department chair. In 2009, she received the Educate for Service \u2013 Service to the College Award. Doris continues to be an active supporter of the Department of Business and the College.<\/p>\n
When asked how she has made a difference in the lives of others, Doris said that helping people always came naturally to her and Ed, noting that they also spent many years assisting the elderly and low-income families with tax preparation. \u201cWe were always willing to help,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd in return, so many people continue to help me as I get older. I\u2019m so fortunate to have such great people around me from the College.\u201d<\/p>\n
Describing how he benefitted from his Etown education and experience, Kent said he \u201clearned how to learn\u201d and that the Bittings\u2019 mentorship was part of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more important that you learn how to learn because you are going to remake yourself any number of times during your career,\u201d Kent said. \u201cInterpersonal relationships and team building were essential in everything I did. It all boils down to being able to deal with people, and my relationship with Ed and Doris certainly played a role.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Much in the way that the stitches of a quilt bring beautiful pieces of cloth together, Elizabethtown College\u2019s supportive, caring, and vibrant community fosters lifelong connections and meaningful friendships. It was a hand-sewn quilt, lovingly crafted as a gift to honor a beloved Etown Accounting professor, that was the catalyst for a recent joyful reunion […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":18673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1339,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-campus-community","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/140"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18667"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18670,"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18667\/revisions\/18670"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.etown.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}