Carl Dean Pitman, 78, died at home in Kempner on Aug. 24, 2023, after a 12-year battle with cancer.
Funeral services will be held at First Street Church of Christ on Aug. 29 at noon, with visitation an hour prior. Graveside services with military honors will follow at 2 p.m. at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen. Sneed-Carnley Funeral Chapel has charge of arrangements.
Carl was born Oct. 17, 1944, to Kenneth and Dorothy (Gribble) Pitman in Littlefield. He was the fifth of eight children.
Upon graduating from high school in 1964, Carl was drafted into the Army, where he served for two years then returned home.
Carl married Sharon Underwood on Dec. 20, 1968, and re-enlisted in the Army. They were stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Giebelstadt, Germany, and then back at Fort Bliss, where their son, James Pitman, was born in 1970.
The family of three left Fort Bliss and moved to Fort Eustis, Virginia, where Carl attended helicopter school. Carl’s next duty station was Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia, where their daughter, Cheryl, was born in 1973.
Carl went to Korea for a year, at which time the family moved to Lubbock. After his return, the family was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington; Mannheim, Germany; and Fort Hood, Texas, where he retired in 1987 after 21 years of service to our country.
Carl and Sharon have been members of First Street Church of Christ in Lampasas since 1985. Those who knew Carl say he was a man of few words but many good deeds. Carl could be seen taking care of the yards and vehicles of widows at church, baking or working on lawnmowers. He loved to stay busy and was an example of a servant’s heart. Carl loved his family, mischief and a good joke.
He was preceded in death by his siblings Kenneth, Rosalee, Robert, John, Gary and Donald.
Carl is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sharon; son and daughter-in-law, James and Erin Pitman of Haltom City; daughter, Cheryl Burch of North Richland Hills; a sister, Mary Vorheis of Clarendon; brothersin- law and sisters-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be sent to First Street Church of Christ Family Life Center at 201 W. First St., Lampasas, TX 76550, or Cherokee Home for Children, P.O. Box 295, Cherokee, TX 76832.
