Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 270831
Title: Darrel L. Pittman
Date: 1/11/1935-12/20/6
Inscription/Marks: 1/11/1935
Summary: Darrel Leland Pittman, 88, Bismarck, ND, passed away June 17, 2023. His funeral was held July 21, 2023, at McCabe United Methodist Church, Bismarck. Burial was at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND. Darrel was born in California. His parents separated when he was very young; he was their only child and both remarried. His school year was spent in Mesa, AZ, living with his mother and stepfather, Fran and Archie Leavitt. During his summer school breaks, he lived in Agnew, CA, with his father and stepmother, Wilbur and Mary Pittman, and his brother, Keith. Throughout his life Darrel treasured connections with childhood friends including Bob (Lani) Jordan and then support in adulthood, especially from his first wife Beverly’s mother, Pat, and recently Anita and Mark. Darrel was so grateful that his parents, stepparents, his mother's sisters and family members always supported his love of aviation. In high school he was in the Navy Reserve for three years. After graduation he joined the Air Force (airplanes!) and served for eight years; this is where he trained to be an air traffic controller. He then went on to the Federal Aviation Administration for 30+ years. For four years he worked for SRSA teaching ATC, including classes at UND. In 1983 Darrel and Marlette married in Bismarck and began their tour of the United States. In 1996 they moved back to Bismarck and he served as manager at the Minot ATC Control Tower. From 2006-2012 he worked for the North Dakota Civil Air Patrol; he was proud to be there to emcee the inaugural Wreaths Across America at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. Darrel was a member of the ND Pilots Association, the ND Aviation Council and the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1008. He also had a special group of friends with the Bismarck-Mandan Chapter 0195, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). He especially enjoyed his time with the EAA and helping start up the Aviation Museum at Buckstop Junction. For his 80th birthday Marlette made a map of everywhere he had lived. In 2016 Darrel completed his autobiography, “Cleared for Takeoff! An Air Traffic Controller’s Life Story.” Darrel is survived by his wife, Marlette, and her family; sisters, Judy and Alice; brother in-law, Dean; nieces, Fern, Anita, Kendallena, Mary and Karen; nephews, Rick and Kevin; his brother Keith’s sons, Ken and Alan and their families; and the Yost family (his mother’s). He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Keith; his first wife, Beverly; two daughters, Cindy and Kelly; Beverly’s mother, Pat; his beloved aunts, Thelma, Lois and Alice; Marlette’s family; mother, Fern; and his brothers-in-law, Wyatt and Lorin.
Red ID: FND_I_78330

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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