Paul Pitcher

Paul Pitcher, 99, of Indianapolis, IN passed with his devoted wife, Frances, by his side on July 24, 2023. Paul was born on July 16, 1924, to Floyd and Bertha (Mize) Pitcher in Robinson, Kansas. At age 17, he convinced a woman to pose as his mother so he could enlist in the US Navy. During his twelve weeks of boot camp, he learned to shoot and swim. He had many roles while serving his country including movie projectionist, radioman, and aviation electronic technician. During his four years of service, he never stepped foot on a boat. He did, however, spend much of his time in a plane over enemy waters. He also rode in the photographer’s plane when they dropped two atomic bombs. His years in the service made him very patriotic. After the military, Paul became a journeyman electrician. He loved his vocation and was a respected master of his trade. When sharing memories about his career, he said, “If it’s electric, I will make it work. I might make some changes to it, but I’ll make it work.” After retiring from the electrical union, Paul became a skilled woodworker. He worked in his shop until he was 98 years old and enjoyed making gifts for his family and friends. Paul was a man of faith and surrounded himself with friends who became his family. He once said, “I don’t make many friends, but when I do make a friend, it’s for life.” Paul learned from an early age that a man’s character was determined by the company that they keep. Each one of his friends is a true testament to the hard-working, compassionate man we dearly loved. Paul is preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Bertha, siblings, Dee, Dick, and Jay, wife, Helen, and son, Ron. He is survived by his wife, Frances, son, Jacob, as well as many beloved grandchildren, friends, and other family members. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the doctors and nurses at Paradigm Health, especially Christy, Wendy, Jackie, and Coco. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations will be given to Buck Creek Baptist Church. A funeral will be held on Sunday, August 6 at 2:30 p.m. at Buck Creek Baptist Church in Cumberland, IN.