Carl Pitts

November 25, 1928 - October 24, 2019

Carl Pitts, 90, of Oskaloosa passed away Thursday evening, October 24, 2019, at Mahaska Health in Oskaloosa. Carl Arthur Pitts was born on November 25, 1928, in Osawatomie, Kansas, to Everett and Laura Faye (Tindle) Pitts. At 16 years of age, he moved to Defiance, Iowa, where he worked as a hired man for his sister and brother-in-law, Ida Faye and Dominic Lickteig, and other farmers in the area. Carl married Cleta Langenfeld, a young lady he met the year he moved to Defiance on April 18, 1950, in Westphalia, Iowa. They began their life together on a rented farm near Defiance. They remained there for eight years, at which time they moved to Carroll, Iowa, where Carl took a position as a route salesman for Omar Baking Company. In 1966, Carl took a job with Schwann’s Ice Cream in Atlantic, Iowa. He and Cleta lived in Atlantic for 17 months before he was promoted to manager, and they moved to Oskaloosa. Carl remained with Schwann’s for 18 years and retired January 1, 1985. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oskaloosa and a member of The Knights of Columbus since age 15, he was a 4th Degree Knight since 1969. Carl enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing, and traveling the United States. He also enjoyed bringing a smile to peoples’ faces. Carl is survived by three sons: Tom and his wife, Sue Pitts, of Oskaloosa, Mike Pitts of Otley, and Paul and his wife, Julie Pitts, of Oskaloosa; a daughter, Cathy and her husband, Jim McGrew, of Oskaloosa; 16 grandchildren: Brandy Pitts, Shannon (Joe) Dote, Angela Pitts, Dawn (John) Borcher, Christy Jo (Shane) Utterback, Michelle (Jamie) Van Kooten, Lisa West, Jamie (Jason) Chapman, Michael Lee Jr. Pitts, Luke (Molly) Pitts, Valerie (Josh) Strehle, Jesse (Nicole) Pitts, Jason (Hailey) Myers, Joshua Myers, Jessica (Eric) Van Leuven, and Melissa (Josh) Harper; 45 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter and one on-the-way; and a foster son, Sid Quintero of Agency and his two daughters: Leona Hanna and Amy Stone; and one sister, Mamie Pedrow of Garnett, Kansas. In addition to his parents, and his wife, Cleta, Carl was preceded in death by five brothers: Francis, Marion, Amos, Paul David and Everett Pitts; one sister: Ida Faye Lickteig; two brothers-in-law, Duane Pedrow and Dominic Lickteig; five sisters-in-law: Hazel, Emma, Ida, Dorothy, and Laurine Pitts; and three great-grandchildren: Zachary Van Kooten, and Wyatt and Weston Chapman. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, October 28, 2019, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father John Spiegel officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visitation will begin after 11 a.m. Sunday at Langkamp Funeral Chapel, a Christian Vigil Service will be held at 2 p.m., after which the family will greet visitors until 5 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church.