Ben Eugene Pitney

Ben Eugene Pitney, 92, was united with his Savior, Jesus Christ, on May 22, 2025. He passed away peacefully at the Baptist Home in Shelbina, Missouri, after spending his final day surrounded by his devoted wife, Martha, and their five children. Ben and Martha were just weeks away from celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary on June 11th.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, June 7th at the Antioch Baptist Cemetery in Hannibal, MO. Pastor Anthony Schindler will officiate. His grandsons and granddaughters' spouses will serve as pallbearers. Following the service, the family will receive visitors and celebrate Ben's life after 11:30 AM Saturday at Immanuel Baptist Church in Hannibal, MO.
The family is being served by the James O'Donnell Funeral Home of Hannibal, MO.
Ben was born on February 1, 1933, in Kewanee, Illinois, the only child of William J. and Blanche (Thackeray) Pitney. He was raised in Hannibal, Missouri, by his mother and stepfather, William Mayer. All preceded him in death. Ben is also preceded in death by a special cousin, Mary Sandburg.
He enjoyed an adventurous boyhood in Hannibal and graduated from Hannibal High School in 1951. A gifted athlete, he excelled at basketball both in high school and college, playing for Hannibal-LaGrange College, where his team reached the Final Four of the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament two years in a row. It was also at Hannibal-LaGrange that he met the love of his life, Martha. He went on to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (Truman State University). After a brief enlistment in the U.S. Army, Ben began a long and distinguished career as a teacher and basketball coach in Illinois and Missouri, playing and coaching alongside future legends such as Cotton Fitzsimmons and Ray Schumann.
Ben married Martha Hamilton of St. Louis, Missouri, on June 11, 1955. She survives him. He is also survived by their five children: Dr. Jennifer (Dr. Richard) Valuck of Hannibal; Stuart (Melissa) Pitney of Topeka, Kansas; Boyd (Karen) Pitney of Green Bay, Wisconsin; James Pitney of Hannibal; and Colonel (Dr.) Aaron (Rebecca) Pitney of Ijamsville, Maryland.
Ben leaves behind 12 grandchildren: Kate (Mike) Fuller and Grace (Dr. Levi) Strube of Hannibal; Jacob Pitney of Lawrence, Kansas; Ethan (Jacklyn) Pitney of Topeka, Kansas; Rachel (Chris) Nafis of San Diego, California; Anna (Dr. Josh) Roorda of Davenport, Iowa; Aimee (Charlie) Robertson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Dr. Ryan (Blakney) Pitney of St. Francis, Wisconsin; Andrew (Courtney) Pitney of Denver, Colorado; Abigail Pitney of Frederick, Maryland; Mary Ellen Pitney of Lewiston, Idaho; and Ben Pitney of Austin, Texas. He is also survived by fifteen great-grandchildren and many extended family members.
Ben was drafted into the U.S. Army and stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, during the Korean War. After his military service, he taught and coached basketball at West Pike, Bridgeport, and Princeton High Schools in Illinois. In 1966, he returned to Hannibal-LaGrange College as head basketball coach. In 1971, he became assistant basketball coach at Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville, where he served until retiring in 1994. In 1995, he and Martha returned to Hannibal, where he served as athletic director at Hannibal-LaGrange University for six more years. For his many contributions to athletics, Ben was inducted into both the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame.
A devoted Christian, Ben came to faith in Christ while a student at Hannibal-LaGrange College and committed his life to sharing the good news of salvation with his family, his players, and everyone he met. At the time of his passing, he was a faithful member and Deacon Emeritus of Immanuel Baptist Church in Hannibal.
Ben's greatest passions were his faith, his family, and his enduring love of sports and music. He wrote a collection of poetry, sharing his reflections and life lessons with those closest to him. A true people person, he maintained close relationships with many of his former players, several of whom have shared how deeply Coach inspired them. He had a lifelong love for music-especially barbershop and big band classics-and was well known for his remarkable memory for lyrics of old favorites.
The family extends special thanks to the staff of the Baptist Home in Shelbina and Compassus Hospice of Macon for their compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hannibal-LaGrange University, Truman State University Men's Basketball (Purple Pack) Fund, or Immanuel Baptist Church. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ben, please visit our floral store.