Berdine Logar Rittenhouse, age 91, of Lillian, AL, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in Pensacola, FL. Berdine was born to the late Edward and Alice Singley Logar in Weston, PA on January 4, 1930. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her loving husband, Junior LeRoy Rittenhouse and her brother, Edward "Edle" Logar.

Berdine was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister. She was a member of Lillian United Methodist Church, in Lillian, AL. She graduated from Black Creek Township High School and then attended Bloomsburg State Teachers College where she graduated with a BA in Business. She then went on to obtain her master's degree from the University of Alabama- Birmingham with a specialization in Genealogical Records. After school she became a teacher of Business and taught Genealogy at Pensacola State University and at the University of South Alabama in their Elder Hostel Program. She also taught at Marion College in Roanoke, VA and worked for General David Sarnoff, who had been CEO of RCA at the Pentagon during the Korean War.

Berdine truly was an expert in Genealogy, especially Pennsylvania-German history, and genealogy. She and Dot Brown pioneered the genealogy movement in the 1980's in South Alabama and West Florida, co-founding the West Florida Genealogical Society, where she then served as President. In addition, she also co-founded the Baldwin County Genealogical Society and was a Genealogist for the Rittenhouse Family Association for many years where she traced the family linage back to 1588 in Germany. She was awarded an Honorary Life Membership in recognition of her contributions to the association.

Berdine was also a passionate gardener and loved the outdoors. She served as a member of the Lillian Garden Club, the Lillian book club, was a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, a founding member of Celebrate Recovery at Lillian United Methodist Church, a member of Helping Hands, a member of Sarah's circle and she also founded the committee that added the Carillon and steeple to the Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church in Lillian, Al. The community hears these bells everyday at 6:00pm.

Berdine was a gifted actress, having performed at The Little Theatre in Richmond, VA. She won Best Supporting Actress for the season at the Little Theatre of Charlotte. She was creative and was a gifted writer of short stories in addition to being a fabulous storyteller. She was a beautiful, passionate soul who lived life to the fullest and will be missed dearly by all who knew her.

Those left to cherish her memory include, her son, David Rittenhouse, of Lillian, AL; a brother, William Rittenhouse, of Grafton, WV and her beloved grandson, Nathan Rittenhouse of Miami Beach, FL.

The family will receive friends from 11:00am until a funeral service to begin at 12:00noon on Monday, July 12, 2021, at Lillian United Methodist Church, in Lillian AL, with Reverend Daniel Randall officiating. A committal service will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at the Haven of our Lady of Peace who took such wonderful and compassionate care of Berdine during her two stays with them this year. They would also like to thank the staff at the Blake, who made her short stay there very enjoyable. We would also like to thank the individual caregivers who made it possible for Berdine to remain at home following her stroke in May 2017, Ms. April and Ms. Tosha, and her good friend Kathleen and her Amedisys Home Health Care Nurse, Ms. Leslie Wilson, RN.