Dr. Frank Smith Pittman III

Frank was born July 11, 1935 in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents were Frank Smith Pittman Jr. and Virginia Boyd Pittman, both of Griffin, GA. He moved to Prattville, AL in 1946. He was valedictorian of his high school class at Stark University, Montgomery, AL. He graduated from Washington and Lee University, cum laude, where he was an SAE (1956) and Emory University Medical School (1960) in Atlanta, where he also completed his psychiatric residency (1964).

He is survived by his the love of his life and wife of 52 years, Elizabeth (Betsy) Brawner Pittman, their children, Dr. Tina Pittman Wagers (Ken) of Boulder, CO, Frank S. Pittman IV (Gabriella) of Atlanta, GA and Dr. Virginia Pittman Pistilli (Dale) of Portola Valley, CA seven grandchildren: Justin and Christopher Wagers, Frank, Knox and Ellie Pittman, Gigi and Lola Pistilli, his sister, Joanna Pittman Fox (Ned), of Cashiers, N.C. , brother-in-law Dr. James N. Brawner III (Julie) and nieces and nephews: Paul Rutter, Harrison Rutter, and Dr. Virginia Rutter, Dr. Anne Brawner Namnoum, Jennifer Brawner Semple and Dr. James Brawner IV and Shannon Rutter Valentine (Mike). He was preceded in death by his parents and his nephew, Lt. Frank Pittman Rutter, USN.

Frank was an early pioneer in the field of family therapy. After his psychiatric residency at Emory, he joined the faculty at the University of Colorado Medical School in Denver, where he spent 4 years working on an NIMH grant headed by Drs. Langsley and Kaplan treating patients with family therapy as an alternative to psychiatric hospitalization. He was the sole treating psychiatrist on the project along with colleagues Kalman Flomenahafft, DSW, Carol DeYoung, RN, and Pavel Machatka, Ph.D. Their landmark research won the Hofheimer prize from the American Psychiatric Association as well as awards from national family therapy organizations. Next he joined the Department of Psychiatry faculty at Emory University and served as Director of Psychiatric Services at Grady Memorial Hospital. In 1972, Frank opened his private practice working primarily with couples and families in crisis. Betsy served as his office manager. He retired in March 2011 due to cancer. In addition to private practice, Frank was Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Emory and Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at Georgia State University. He was an early advocate for the creation of community mental health centers in the state of Georgia and consulted for many years at Clayton County Mental Health Center.

He was a nationally and internationally known writer and speaker to professional audiences. Frank was a prolific writer of books and articles on the topics of marriage and family crises. His four books were: Turning Points, Private Lies, Man Enough and Grow Up! He was the film critic for the Psychotherapy Networker for over 25 years and was advisory editor for journals including Family Process and the Journal of American Family Therapy. He was a script consultant to John Cleese on the film Fierce Creatures.

His professional memberships included the American Psychiatric Association, the Georgia Psychiatric Association, the Medical Association of Atlanta, charter member of the American Family Therapy Academy, fellow and approved supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

His great loves of opera, history, music, gardening, hiking and cooking were legendary to those who knew him. Frank and Betsy enjoyed many years of vacations in the mountains of Colorado, where they shared remote trails with bears near their mountain house.

The Pittmans will receive visitors Monday November 26 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at H.M. Patterson & Sons – Spring Hill, 1020 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA 30309. A private memorial service will be held for family members.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Rocky Mountain Nature Association, P.O. Box 3100, Estes Park, CO 80517, www.rmna.org, or Hospice Atlanta, 5775 Glenridge Drive, Suite E-200, Atlanta, GA 30328, www.vnhs.org.