Yvette Marie Bittner

Yvette Marie Bittner (LeMieux) was born August 12, 1943 to parents Heliodore and Mary (Evans) LeMieux at Swedish Covenant hospital in Cook County, Illinois.  She attended La Crosse University in Wisconsin and graduated in 1965 with an undergraduate degree in Physical Education with a minor in Health Education.  After teaching for a few years, she went back to La Crosse University and completed her Masters’ degree in 1969 in Physical Education. She moved to Portales, New Mexico in 1970 for a teaching opportunity and then Albuquerque in 1971.  She enjoyed New Mexico so much that she convinced her mother and two brothers to relocate to Albuquerque as well.  She was very close to her mom and brothers, who along with her, started their families in Albuquerque. She taught for more than 30 years combined, most of that at Sandia High School before retiring.  She coached the Women's Varsity Soccer team at Sandia High School for several years as well.  She married her loving husband, Carl Bittner, in 2004 and they have lived in Edgewood, NM ever since.  She and Carl loved to travel to San Carlos, Mexico together, multiple times a year, where they spent time on their boat deep-sea fishing, enjoying the ocean scenery, Mexican culture, and drinking fine wines.  Prior to meeting Carl and getting hooked on her fishing hobby, Yvette's major passion was for horses and equestrian riding.  She started riding back in her youth in Chicago and it just grew from there.  Before moving to Edgewood with Carl, she lived in the North Valley of Albuquerque where the Equestrian Community thrives.  She was involved in many local equestrian groups including The Guadalupe Pony Club, The NM Dressage and Combined Training Association, The NM Horse Council, and The NM Hunter Jumper Association.  Her daughter Heather, lives in the Valley and carries on this passion to this day.  Her son Wryan lives in Corrales and is very fond of soccer and snow skiing, also due to Yvette's influences.

Yvette passed away on April 15, 2019 after battling a rare form of muscular dystrophy. She is survived by her husband of 15 years, Carl Bittner; her daughter, Heather Capps Drager and her husband, Rob, and their two children, Brendan 16, and Hayden, 13; son, Wryan Wynn Capps and his wife Stephanie, and their two children, Ashton, 13, and Ainsley, 11; her brothers Wayne LeMieux of Rio Rancho and Larry LeMieux of Scottsdale, AZ.

In lieu of flowers the family would love and appreciate a donation to one of Yvette’s favorite organizations, the Watermelon Mountain Pony Club. The donation address in which to send a check is WMPC c/o Jania Danen 110 Richard Road Corrales, NM 87048.