Leona C. “Toots” Pitstick, 83, of Connersville, was called to her heavenly home, Sunday, November 25, 2018, while a resident of Heritage House of Connersville.
Toots was born in Fayette County on December 19, 1934, to August J. and Leona C. Selm Krepp. She was raised in Connersville where she graduated from Saint Gabriel School and Connersville High School in 1954. On December 31, 1955, she was joined in marriage to William F. “Bill” Pitstick, who was an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Their service led them to live in several different states and West Germany. They returned to Connersville in 1975.
Toots worked for the phone company in Connersville prior to getting married. She spent her time raising her children and volunteering. She was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader and librarian at St. Clair Catholic School in O'Fallon, Illinois. Her later years were spent enjoying her grandchildren, gardening, working jigsaw puzzles and life on the farm. She particularly enjoyed feeding wild birds during the winter and hummingbirds and orioles during the summer. For years she hosted deer camp for her male relatives and their friends and would often torment them with tales of large bucks walking through her yard while they were in the woods hunting. Toots liked to be prepared to get snowed in, so her family is now dividing her stockpile of goodies, including 15 jars of maraschino cherries and a months supply of Little Debbie's snacks. Toots was honored with the St. Gabriel Distinguished Graduate Award in 2007.
Toots is survived by her children and their spouses: Michael F. Pitstick and Maggie of Connersville; Beth Ann White of Ball, Louisiana; Bart J. Pitstick and Sue of Ireland, Indiana; Milissa J. Miller and Cliff Neal of Connersville; twelve grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren with two more expected this year, nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Toots was preceded in death by her husband in 2001, three brothers: August “Auggie”, Eugene “Gene” and Robert “Bob” Krepp; her sister Mary Jane Bower and a grandson Riley Pitstick.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Gabriel Church with Rev. Dustin Boehm officiating where friends may visit after 10 a.m. Cremation will follow and burial will be in Dale Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be conducted at Showalter Blackwell Long Funeral Home, Myers Chapel, Connersville 47331, from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday where the rosary service will be conducted at 8 p.m. Friday. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Gabriel School Endowment Fund, 224 West Ninth Street, Connersville. For additional information and features, go to www.ShowalterBlackwellLong.com.
