Raymond Oscar Pitton

Raymond Oscar Pitton, aged 85, of Palm Beach Gardens died Monday, September 12, 2022, in Trustbridge Hospice at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center with his son, Mark and daughter, Patricia by his side. The cause was prostate cancer. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Genevieve Z. Pitton on June 26, 2022. Born November 8, 1936, in Rockford, Illinois, Ray worked as an aeronautical engineer for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in both East Hartford, CT and Jupiter, FL and for five years with Sundstrand Corporation in Rockford, IL. More recently, he worked part-time at Jupiter Dunes Golf Course, until COVID-19 forced him to quit. A resident of Palm Beach Gardens since 1976, he is survived by his daughter Patricia Pitton, of Palm Beach Gardens, his son Mark Pitton and his wife Amy of Montpelier, VT, his granddaughter Bethany Harrington and husband Jeremy and their children Charlotte and Samuel of Barre, VT, and grandson Wesley Pitton of Barre, VT. Although he always wanted a big party to celebrate his life, Ray felt that this was no longer a viable plan, so we ask that you post your remembrances here, and privately toast a life well-lived.

A graduate in aeronautical engineering at the University of Illinois—where he met his wife, Gennie, Ray’s favorite course was Opera Appreciation. Indeed, he had a wide range of interests. He was a goalie for the club soccer team at U of I and played soccer recreationally for much of his adult life. An avid golfer, especially in later years, Dad enjoyed teaming up with “the Bandits” at Jupiter Dunes. He also loved the theater, performing with the Windsor Jesters in CT, and community theater in Rockford, IL and several groups locally here in North Palm, Palm Beach Gardens, and in Lake Worth. Often the plays were mysteries and our family joked that his trench coat was in almost as many plays as he was. For many years, Ray and Gennie raced their Tanzer-22 and travelled with the Port St. Lucie Sailing Club and Ray served as Commodore. He was a veteran of the Army, serving with Hell on Wheels in Germany and participated in ROTC in high school. He loved music, especially opera, classical music, and folk music and played the timpani in high school orchestra. He was a life-long member of the United Church of Christ, having grown up with Second Congregational Church in Rockford, and served as head of Christian Education there. In more recent years, Ray and Gennie travelled in Europe, attended Life-Long Learning Center classes by Frank Cerabino and by Rod MacDonald, and loved listening to live music such as the Sierra Band, Rod MacDonald, Big Bass Bed, and Tracy Sands at local spots such as PaddyMac’s and the Square Grouper. Always social, Ray loved to tell a story and he had a big voice that carried (which was also an effective disciplinarian voice for children and pets). Ironically, children and pets had their way with him. He was loyal, caring, patient, and utterly practical in his approach to life (much to his wife’s decorative frustration). We miss you and love you to pieces, Dad!