04/07/2015
Earl “Gene” Pitt, 78, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, died Tuesday, April 7, 2015, at Crystal Heights Care Center in Oskaloosa.
He was born July 4, 1936, in Knoxville, Iowa, the son of Robert U. and Elizabeth Clark Pitt. He attended school in Knoxville.
On June 18, 1955, he was united in marriage to Beverly Wymore at Knoxville.
Gene worked in facility maintenance at the V.A. in Knoxville for 32 years. In retirement, he worked at Pleasant Care Nursing Home in Pleasantville, Iowa, for 5 years. With his brother and a friend who worked at the V.A., Gene also built and remolded houses in Knoxville and the surrounding area. He retired for good in 1996.
In retirement, Gene and Beverly enjoyed many winters in Arizona. He took great pride in being in great physical shape and competed in the senior Olympics in Arizona. He also enjoyed tractor pulling, mountain trail hiking, woodworking, and remodeling. He delighted in spending time with his family.
His family includes his wife of over 59 years, Beverly Pitt of Oskaloosa; two daughters and their husbands, Jackie and Rick Wright of Knoxville and Sandy and Randy Hunter of Tracy; three grandchildren, Shawn (Val) Wright, Ryan (Katie) Wright, and Ashley (Dustin) Hicks; three great-grandchildren, Brayden Wright, Gavin Hicks, and Joslynn Hicks; a sister, Helen Spaur of Knoxville; and a sister-in-law, Lucille Pitt of Knoxville.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Richard Lee Pitt; a grandson, Andy Hunter; three brothers, Robert, Kenneth, and Howard Pitt; and three sisters, Vera Sutherland, Hazel Wright, and Hilda Klootwyk.
A memorial service will be held Friday, April 10, 2015, at 6:00 p.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa, with Pastor Alvern Boetsma officiating. As was his wish, his body has been cremated. The burial of the urn will be in the Greenwood Cemetery at a later date. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Friday after 11:00 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel, and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 4:00 p.m. until service time at 6:00 to greet friends and relatives.
Father: Robert Ulysses Pitt 1889-1951
Mother: Elizabeth Clark Pitt 1897-1959
Siblings:
Robert Dale Pitt 1918-2008
Hazel Leona Pitt Wright 1921-2010
Helen I. Pitt Spaur 1926-2018
Howard L. Pitt 1927-1998
Kenneth C. Pitt 1930-1992
Children:
Sandra Kay Pitt Hunter 1959-2016