Joyce Marie (Hultz) Pittenger, 81, of Crawfordsville passed away Tuesday, March 16, 2021, surrounded by her daughters.
Born Feb. 12, 1940, at Crawfordsville, she was the daughter of the late Jesse and Mildred (Miller) Hultz.
She attended New Market and Crawfordsville schools, graduating in 1958 from Crawfordsville High School. On Dec. 25, 1961, she married Lowell “Max” Pittenger. He preceded her in death July 28, 2017. They celebrated 55 years of marriage.
Joyce was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Crawfordsville and a member of New Market Christian Church. She attended First Baptist Church in Crawfordsville, where she enjoyed her Sunday School class and church family.
Joyce was an accomplished homemaker, renowned for her cooking and baking.
Together, Joyce and Max had four cherished daughters, Lisa, Paula, Amy and Pamela; 12 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. As a family, they spent a lot of time together, at holidays, birthdays and many other special occasions. You could always find Joyce supporting her children and grandchildren at sporting events and other activities.
She was known to her grandchildren as Mamaw, Grams and Grandma Kitty. Her grandchildren have many fond memories of baking cookies, “helping” with the laundry on the clothesline, tending the garden and watching daytime soap operas when out of school.
Joyce had a giving heart. There was never a mouth left hungry when she was around. The Pittenger house was often a refuge for people in need. Everyone that came into her life was important, and she made you feel that way with her warmth and caring spirit.
Joyce will be remembered most as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.
She is survived by daughters, Lisa (Phil) Bray, Paula (Steve) Morse, Amy (Rich) Mesaros and Pamela (Jeremy) Weliever; step-daughter Teresa (Brian) Gauthier; grandchildren, Kiley (Mike) Watts, Colton Pedro (Taylor Firestine), Nolan, Zachary and Drew Morse, Lauren, Paige and Emily Mesaros, Ethan and Jake McCormick, Zoey (Shane) Zobrist and Kennedy Weliever; great-grandchildren Briar Watts and Samuel and Elanor Zobrist, sister-in-law Joyce Hultz; and several loved nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; and brother Donald “Buck” Hultz; and step-daughter Susan Marcucci.
Services are at Sanders Priebe Funeral Care on Saturday, March 20, 2021. Family and friends may call from 11a.m. to 1 p.m., with funeral service and graveside following. Donations can be made in her name to www.lbda.org (Lewy Body Dementia Association).
