Donald Lester Bitzer, 90, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at his home in Cary, N.C.
The first baby of the New Year, Donald was born just after midnight on Jan. 1, 1934, in East St Louis. He was raised in Collinsville and graduated from Collinsville High School, where he met Maryann Drost. They married on July 2, 1955.
Donald received his bachelor’s degree (1955), master’s degree (’56) and Ph.D. (’60) in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he went on to teach for the next 29 years.
During his tenure, Donald served as the director of the Computer Based Education Research Laboratory, where he would eventually create the PLATO computer system – the first shared network used for education, which combined graphics and touch-sensitive screens. The seminal influence of the PLATO system can be felt even today, and the technology underlying its plasma panel display was later used in the commercial development of flat-screen plasma televisions, for which Donald received a Technological Achievement Emmy in 2002.
In 1990, Donald moved to North Carolina with Maryann to become a distinguished university research professor at North Carolina State University’s Department of Computer Science. There, he taught courses in discreet mathematics and directed research in lip-synchronization and convolutional coding, the latter of which lead to innovations in efficiency of transgenic protein production.
Donald is a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame (2013), the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame (’06) and the University of Illinois College of Engineering Hall of Fame (’10); a Lincoln Laureate of Illinois (1982); a National Associate of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (’02); a fellow in the Computer History Museum (’22); and a recipient of the Vladamir Zworkin Award from the National Academy of Engineering (’73), the Holladay Medal for Excellence at N.C. State University (’19) and the University of Illinois Alumni Association Award (’23). Perhaps most notably (in his opinion), Donald received an award from the International Brotherhood of Magicians in 1989 for contributions of creativity to the art of magic – contributions he incorporated into his lectures and for the amusement of his grandchildren.
Donald would have preferred that his significant list of accolades be omitted, as his true impact lies with the spark of creativity he fostered in each person who wandered into his lab (including local high school students). Donald championed inclusivity for anyone interested in learning and exploring new ideas in the laboratory, and unwaveringly encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration. He was adviser to numerous Ph.D. and master’s students, many of whom are named with him on the numerous patents he obtained.
His wife, Maryann, preceded him in death in 2022.
He is survived by a son, Dr. David (Christine) Bitzer of Springfield. His three grandchildren, Grant (Cate) Bitzer of Chapel Hill, N.C., Bryan (Ellen) Bitzer of Santa Monica, Calif., and Hannah Bitzer of Fort Collins, Colo., will fondly remember their time with him fishing, tubing and water skiing at the lakehouse he built with the help of family and friends in Vandalia, as well as treasure hunts, endless supplies of pop flys, card games (oh hell), Cardinal baseball games, listening to his stories, and hearing him recount his and Maryann’s travel adventures. Donald is also survived by two great-grandchildren; a sister, Carol (Jack) Lampe of Collinsville; and several nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of life will be held from 4 to 6:30 on June 27, 2025 at Drost Park Pavilion 1 in Maryville, IL.
