William Pitts, Jr.

Bill was born on January 28, 1920, to the parents of William C. Pitts, Sr. and Evelyn Singleton Pitts in Ennis, Texas, and the family moved to Waxahachie in 1926, establishing a local business on the downtown Waxahachie Square for 40 years. Bill grew up in Waxahachie as a child, and worked downtown as a young man in the theatre and cooked popcorn and ran the film projection room, worked for the fire department, Boze-Mitchell Funeral Home, and many more jobs and escapades. Bill and Charleene (McWhorter) Pitts were married on July 14, 1942, have been married for 73 years, but wait - they've been childhood sweethearts since the 5th grade! 83 years! Bill is a WW II veteran. He joined the Army in 1942, and served as a communications officer extensively in the European Theatre of combat, including the Battle of the Bulge in Germany. Bill was recalled for Korea including top secret work in Alaska, served an additional 6 years with the Air Force at Langley AFB, Virginia. Bill then returned to Waxahachie after military retirement, as a Major, to serve 26 years in the defense technology industry with Ling Temco Vaught (LTV), now Lockheed Martin. At Lockheed Martin he led teams that provided systems mathematics, control systems, and reliability engineering. Here are some sample projects: The full recovery logistics deployed by the Navy for America's first astronaut, Alan Shepard. Systems and electronics for the first Cruise Missile . Systems design, test, and support for NASA's first AMU (Astronaut Maneuvering Unit) - the first un-tethered ability to move around space vehicles… and many more. Bill also served prominently in Waxahachie affairs after his retirement. Bill served as a volunteer with the Ellis County Museum for 14 years, the Waxahachie Zoning Board, W.C. Tenery and Baylor Hospitals as a volunteer Auxiliary Member, and other civic and volunteer duties. Bill is survived by his wife, Charleene, of 73 years, his three children, William C. (Mack) Pitts, Richard C. (Ricky) Pitts, and daughter, Jennifer Ellen Brooks. Additional survivors include son-in-laws, daughters-in-laws, and the family contingent of five grand children, seven great-grand children, and one great-great granddaughter. One granddaughter preceded Bill's death. Bill requests that donations be made to the Ellis County Museum, or the Dinah Weable Breast Cancer Foundation, or the First United Methodist Church of Waxahachie.

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