Wannetah H. Pitz

Type Obit Here Wannetah H. Pitz (88) died peacefully on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at LeRoy Village Green Nursing Home surrounded by her children and the caring staff of LVG. She was born November 22, 1928 in Akron, Ohio, the daughter of Foster Eugene Hall and Gladys Correen Pressler Hall.

Wannetah's life was marked by her artistic talent, hospitality, love of society, generosity, and laughter. Her family lived in Detroit, Michigan during her high school years where she was trained as an artist at the Cass Technical High School. The friends she made during those years were always very precious to her. She was married to Donald Frank Pitz on January 25, 1944. They lived in Ypsilanti, Michigan while her husband earned his degree in architecture and then relocated to Camillus, New York. During those years, Wannetah continued her art education at University of Michigan and Syracuse University.

Wannetah used her talent in a variety of jobs during her life including as layout artist for newspaper advertisement for the Globe Department Store, Activities Assistant at Samaritan-Keep Nursing Home, and as an employee with Craftime Store from which she retired in 1991.

Wannetah reveled in the company of others and often welcomed others into her home whether it was a resident at the Nursing Home for Thanksgiving Dinner, a dear friend, or a young person who needed a safe, calm haven for a time. She was an avid bridge player, participating in several bridge clubs and hosting her Monday morning kitchen bridge group for several years. Her children recall the evening parties while they were growing up and how their mother's laughter would rise above all others as they listened from the stairs.

Wannetah was generous and tried to help others along the way through her service with Trinity Church, the Haas Scholarship Fund, the Flowering Twig at Samaritan-Keep Nursing Home, the Young Artist's Award with the Arts Association of Northern New York, the Pitz Family Helping Hand Fund at Jefferson Community College, or with advice and guidance from someone who didn't always have it easy but found beauty in life every day.

Wannetah is predeceased by her parents, husband Donald Frank Pitz; brother Warren Glenn (Alice) Hall; sister and partner in gales of laughter Sue Vitale; and daughter-in-law, Donna Wildrick Pitz. Surviving are brother-in-law William Vitale; niece Cindy Lewis; nieces Karen (Ray) Gauthier and Jane (John) Wills; nephews Michael Hall and Steve (Li Meng) Hall; sons Donn Andrew Pitz of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Scott Darwin Pitz of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and daughter Dorian Sue Pitz (Gregory) Ely of Batavia, New York. For her grandchildren, Wannetah leaves wonderful memories of Campbell's Point, summer camp in Northern New York, snow ice cream, and laughter, most of all laughter. In the words of her grandchildren, "I am thinking of how great a laugh Grammy had, it would die down almost to a sigh and then start up all over again. So great. It was contagious." Wannetah was very proud of her intelligent, handsome and lovely grandchildren: Scott Linton Pitz of Baltimore, Maryland; Kathyrn Lee (Ed Yoo) Pitz of Brooklyn, New York; Cody Read Pitz of Telluride, Colorado; Alexandra Corinne (Rachel Lang) Pitz of Brooklyn, New York; Eva Cassandra Pitz of Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania; Samantha Johanna Pitz of St. Louis, Missouri; Elizabeth Nita (Michael) Collee of Batavia, New York; and R. Willets Ely of Queens, New York.

Wannetah served as an organ and tissue donor as her final act of generosity. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in the Summer of 2017 at the convenience of the family. Memorial donations may be made to: Trinity Episcopal Church, 227 Sherman Street, Watertown, New York 13601; National Museum of Women in the Arts, PO Box 120, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-964022116-9640 ( https://nmwa.org/support/giving/donate ); or St. James Episcopal Church, 405 East Main Street, Batavia, New York 14020.