Andrew Francis Pitonyak

1926 - 2020

Andrew Francis Pitonyak, 94, of Erie, passed away on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at Pleasant Ridge Manor.

He was born on July 4, 1926 in Bitumen, Pa., Clinton County, a son of the late Joseph and Eva Pitonyak.

Andrew was raised in Bitumen, graduating from the Renovo High School. During his junior year in high school, he volunteered for the Enlisted Reserve Corps (ERC, now Army Reserves) and was permitted to enlist as an active duty member of the US Army Air Corps in January of 1945, having been awarded early graduation from high school. He deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in February of 1946. There, he served with the 2nd Base Service Squadron, 529th Air Service Group, as a military policeman in Italy. He was awarded the Army Occupation Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.

Following his honorable discharge from the military, Andrew moved to Erie. He went to work for General Electric in Erie and later for Uniflow Manufacturing, where he was employed as a tester for cooling systems, retiring in 1991.

Andrew was a dedicated member of the St. James Roman Catholic Church in Erie. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking, and gardening, as well as visiting his old home in Bitumen. He also loved baseball and once pitched a no-hitter for the Bitumen Miners against the Renovo team. He played guitar, violin and accordion and enjoyed playing music with his brothers.

In addition to his parents, Andrew was preceded in death by four brothers, Joseph Pitonyak (Nellie), Anthony Pitonyak (Shirley), Paul Pitonyak (Jean), and John Pitonyak (Fay); and four sisters, Rose Bendick (Stephen), Julia Pitonyak, Evelyn Williams (Irvin), and Margaret Pitonyak.

Andrew will be greatly missed by his wife of 35 years, Maxine Pitonyak and family including, three daughters, Lee Anna Belovarac (Allan) of Erie, Doreen F. Bolen (James), of Greenville, S.C., and Mary Lints (Greg) of Phoenix, Ariz.; two sons, Philip E. Pitonyak (Denise) of West Chester, Ohio and James A. Pitonyak (Lori) of Erie; 11 grandchildren, Brian Belovarac, Dr. Brendan Belovarac, Ben Pitonyak, Chelsea Ellison (Kyle), Scott Turk, Brian Turk (Mary Beth), Sarah Welch (Nick), Miles Lints (Nicole), Molly Little (Christian), Allison Hellmann (Scott), and Rachel Pitonyak; ten great-grandchildren, Logan Turk, Noah Turk, Nora Welch, Quinn Welch, Ryder Little, August Little, Liam and Carter Hellmann, Chloe Lints, Levi Ellison; sister-in-law Fay Pitonyak, and several nieces and nephews. In addition, he is survived by Maxine's children, Cheryl Fenell of Florida, Eugene Thompson of Florida, and Maxine's daughter-in-law, Janet Thompson (the late Daniel) of Erie, Pa., along with Maxine's grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. His former wife and the mother of his children, Dorothy Brown, also survives.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, services will be held privately by the family.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Edder Funeral Home Inc., Girard.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Immaculate Conception Shrine of Bitumen, c/o Anna Knauff, 24 S. Ransdorf Ave., North Bend, PA 17760.

To send condolences visit edderfuneralhome.com

Sign the Guestbook at www.GoErie.com/obits.