Daniel C. Bitter

Obituary

BITTER, Daniel C.

1951 – 2026

DANIEL C. BITTER was known affectionately among his many friends and neighbors as Dan Dan the Crepe Man.

Dan, 74, passed away on Friday, August 7th, 2026 under the care of Melech Hospice House in Tampa, FL. Dan was born in Toledo, OH, to parents Elfrieda and Julius Bitter. Dan attended local schools, graduating from Sylvania High School in 1969. From there Dan took some college courses but found his calling elsewhere.

Daniel spent several summers of his youth in Sarasota, FL, much preferring the climate over Ohio’s. Dan then split his time between stints in Tampa FL and Atlanta GA. While in Tampa early on, Dan earned his Black Belt in Judo from Ed Maley’s South Tampa judo club.  During his time in Atlanta  he lived and worked in the Cabbage Town district.  While there he was a dedicated Judo instructor, a Sensai, to devoted students, many of whom became lifelong friends.  Dan was also a skilled carpenter and home renovator whose high standards and uber precision earned him great respect and many repeat clients.

In 1990, Dan moved permanently to Tampa where he would spend the remainder of his life. For many years, Dan opened his yard to passersby every Sunday to enjoy coffee and handmade crepes he cooked outside on a cast iron griddle. As the decades passed, Dan’s Crepe Sundays became legendary. From talented musicians, visual artists and diesel mechanics   to college professors, government attorneys and noted journalists, they all came. They shared viewpoints and art, bad jokes and good music, generously entertaining each other, and making new friends in the comfort of Dan’s welcoming South Tampa yard. Dan also opened his yard for weekly movie nights projecting films on an inflatable screen, again welcoming all

passersby, neighbors and friends.

Dan had a great sense of humor and laughed heartily.  He was also unfailingly generous. He would drop everything to help anyone, those he knew and many he didn’t. While Dan was a storyteller, he usually didn’t talk much, because he was a superb listener. In fact, he managed to turn listening into the rare art form it is.

Dan was predeceased by his parents, Elfrieda and Julius. He is survived by his devoted wife, Rayna, dear sister Diane, older and younger brothers David and Duane, too many beloved friends to name, and countless fans of the kind of man the world rarely sees anymore.

A memorial service will take place in the near future. Please contact the family for details.

“ There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.”

— from the film

Gandhi (1982)

Epitaph

By Merrit Malloy

When I die

Give what’s left of me away

To children

And old men that wait to die.

And if you need to cry.

Cry for your brother

Walking the street beside you.

And when you need me.

Put your arms Around anyone

And give them

What you need to give to me.

I want to leave you something.

Something better

Than words Or sounds.

Look for me

In the people I’ve known

Or loved,

And if you cannot give me away.

At least let me live on in your eyes

And not your mind.

You can love me most

By letting

Hands touch hands.

By letting bodies touch bodies.

And by letting go Of children

That need to be free.

Love doesn’t die.

People do.

So, when all that’s left of me

Is love,

Give me away.