Colonel Max L. Pitney U.S. Army (Ret.)

U.S. ARMY, REITRED Colonel Max L. Pitney, U.S. Army, Retired, 92, Olathe, KS passed away June 28, 2008, at the home of his son, Tom Pitney in Overland Park, KS. A celebration of his life will be Thursday, July 3, 2008, at the Heritage United Methodist Church, 12850 Quivera Rd, Overland Park, KS; visitation 1:00 p.m. and memorial service at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross for Midwest flood relief or to Grace Hospice who provided such loving care in his final days. Max was born April 9, 1916, in Chicago, the son of Victor and Dona Pitney. He was raised in Louisiana, MO, on the banks of the Mississippi River and graduated from Louisiana High School in 1934. He attended the University of Missouri, and was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity, earning a bachelor degree in History. As with so many members of his generation, Max felt the call to serve his country and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army in 1939. While stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii he met and married his beautiful wife, Marjorie, just 7 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. On that fateful Sunday Max and Marge were eyewitnesses to that Day of Infamy that signaled the start of four years of combat duty for Max in the South Pacific. For his service with the 24th Division he earned the Bronze Star for Valor, the Army Air Medal and the Legion of Merit. Rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel by the end of the war, he returned to his beloved Margie to start a family and continue his distinguished Army career totaling 27 years with assignments at the Pentagon, the Army War College, and U.S. Aid missions to Paraguay &Venezuela. As his last active duty assignment, Max served as Professor of Military Science at Kansas University in Lawrence. He continued his life of service for an additional 10 years as a hospital administrator at the KU Medical Center until he retired in 1977. Max is survived by his sons and their wives, John C. and Pat Pitney & Thomas J. and Molly Pitney, both of Overland Park, KS, his grandchildren, Paul T. Pitney and wife, Christy, of McComb Township, MI, Max T. Pitney, Alison E. Pitney and McKenzie H. Pitney, all of Overland Park, his great grandson, Joshua J. Pitney also of McComb, and many, many dear friends at Aberdeen Village in Olathe, KS and from around the country. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie, in 2002. Max led a life full of exceptional service and devotion to his faith, his wife, Marge, his family and friends, and to his country. He was always thinking of the well being of the men and women who served with him in the military and his friends and colleagues in civilian life. Always the perfect gentleman, he inspired others by his example and was a great positive influence on the lives of so many people from many walks of life. We will miss him dearly, but he will forever be in our hearts. We pray that he will have eternal peace. To leave a message for the family, please visit www.Penwellgabel.com