Donald Woodbury Pitman, 90

MEREDITH — Donald Woodbury Pitman
 passed away on Nov. 10, 2018, at Golden View Health Care Center, Meredith.

Formerly of Stratford, Connecticut, 
Donald was born on April 10, 1928, in Laconia to Charles and Mildred (Keaser) Pitman, the third of the three Pitman brothers — older brother Robert and middle brother Vaughan. Donald grew up in the family home next to the Laconia Public Library. The family home and land was sold to the government for the Federal Building, which housed the White Mountain National Forest headquarters for more than 60 years. The family built a new home on Old North Main Street near Perley Pond.

After attending local public schools, Donald graduated from Tabor Academy (Marion, Massachusetts) in 1946 and from the University of New Hampshire in 1950 with a bachelor of science degree.

After graduation, Donald served in the Army during the Korean Conflict, stationed in Europe where he trained in telephone maintenance.

After his service in the military, Donald went to work for W.T. Grant as a department store manager, managing stores in various locations in New England and retiring after 25 years from the company while living in Stratford, Connecticut.

Flying became a lifelong hobby. He owned several planes over the years, with his “Yellow Bird” Cessna being his favorite. Together, Donald and Yellow Bird made many cross-country trips to explore the American west along with the coast of California, Oregon and Washington. Along the way, he’d stop to explore the canyons of Arizona, Utah and Colorado, hiking down the Grand Canyon in Arizona or to the Arches in Utah. He made several memorable trips to a family cabin on Brooklyn Lake in Medicine Bow National Forest, Centennial, Wyoming. Donald also made several trips to Europe with family and friends. He loved to travel and participated in many family camping trips with his brother Vaughan’s family around New England.


Donald spent time volunteering around the Stratford-Bridgeport area where he worked on numerous blood drives for the American Red Cross, fundraisers for local PBS stations and was an active volunteer for the YMCA and local hospitals. He gave many hours of his time over the years to help serve the community in which he lived and received numerous community service awards for his contributions.

Donald had a creative talent in working with glass that he turned into a business, creating both stained and etched glass art which he sold both locally and around the world.


Late in his life, Donald returned to live in Meredith, and was well cared for by the staff at the Golden View Health Care Center where he celebrated his 90th birthday on April 10, 2018, surrounded by family and well wishes from friends and family across the country.


On Nov. 10, 2018, Donald flew off in his “Yellow Bird” to join with his parents and brothers who had gone on before him.


Donald leaves his brother Vaughan’s wife, Dorothy (Haynes) Pitman of Hollis; a cousin, Allan Hodgkins of Lancester, New Hampshire, and Chiefland, Florida; and 10 nieces and nephews: Janet Pitman Feiger of Denver, Colorado, Charles Pitman of Silverthorne, Colorado, Gregg Pitman of Holderness, Judy Duda of Holderness, Betsy Reagan of Goffstown, Barbara Pitman of Red Lodge, Montana, Martha Lunsky of Louisville, Colorado, John Parker Pitman of Mount Airy, Maryland, David Pitman of Arvada, Colorado, and Rodney Pitman of Franklin.


Donald asked that there be no funeral and that people take a moment to think some good thoughts about him in his passing. He requested that his ashes be spread in a “pretty mountain valley,” as “cemeteries are nice lawns that no doubt would otherwise be a parking lot, but I prefer to be somewhere else.”
 Donald Woodbury Pitman is at peace.