Eugene Pittman
April 21, 2020
Eugene "Gene" Ellison Pittman, 86, of New Port Richey, FL, passed away peacefully Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at Haven Hospice, Gainesville, FL.
Gene was born November 4th, 1933 in Burnside, KY, the youngest of 8 children of Millard E. Pittman and Alllie Mae Summers. He graduated from Georgetown
(OH) High School in 1952. Gene attended radio tech classes and worked for a short time on one of the earliest UHF television broadcasts in Detroit. He served in the U.S. Army at Fort Knox and Fort Hood as a radio technician until 1961. Gene raised his family in the Dayton/Centerville, OH area where he operated a gas station and drove gasoline tank trucks most of his career.
He and his wife, Faye, saved their money and invested in residential and commercial real-estate. Following his retirement, he lived in Centerville, OH, and the FL cities of Dunnellon, Tampa, Panama City Beach, and New Port Richey. He and Faye enjoyed a "bucket list" trans-Panama Canal Cruise from Florida to California last year to celebrate their 60 years of marriage.
Gene was a loving friend, father, and husband. He was known as a powerful but gentle man who was generous with his time, hard work, and talents to help a friend, neighbor, or family. He grew up in a time when men were not expected to show emotion, but over the years he became able to openly express his love. Mostly, Gene was known as a kind and good man. His memories warm the hearts of numerous family and friends. Gene is survived by his loving wife Anna Faye Pittman, adult children Pamela Arsenault of Morro Bay, CA; Michael Pittman of Williamsburg, OH; Barbara Gabbard of Booneville, KY; and Stephen Pittman of Gainesville, FL; 7 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild.
Gene was raised the son of poor share-cropper farmers. As a boy he plowed fields on the family farm with a team of mules. He worked as a farmhand to support himself starting at the age of 12. Despite becoming financially successful, Gene never forgot the challenges of being able to put food on the family table. In these difficult times, he was touched by the hardships many families are now facing.
Crevasse's Simple Cremation is honored to serve the Pittman family.
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Was proud to call him my father in law
We will sadly miss our great friend. So many good memories when we were neighbors at Emerald Isle in Panama City Beach. May he rest in peace.
Gene was the best boss I ever had. In 1968, I had moved to Dayton to go to Graduate School at UD and needed a job to make ends meet. I walked up to the corner from my apartment to the Sunoco. No jobs available. Across the street was a new SOHIO station (Gene's Riverside) and there he was. He asked if I had any gas station experience. No. Any mechanical experience? I take care of my own car and grew up on the farm. He said, when can you start. After lunch, I have to change clothes. He gave me a blue short sleeved shirt with the logo on it and said we greet every customer, ask if they want to fill it up with premium, and then wash windshields and get under the hood to check oil etc. Soon I was working 60 hours a week, part-time. I remember the first day he handed me the change machine and the roll of bills and said he was going to the bank. I remember when he gave me a raise from $2 to $2.25 per hour. He and Faye were the first to celebrate the Birth of my daughter Katie and bring a gift. We stayed in touch for 50 years and I will think of him every day and miss him like the big brother I never had.