Harry Pitts was born on December 30, 1934 to Harry and Ethel Pitts of Indianapolis. He passed peacefully in his sleep on September 2, 2022 in Lebanon, IN. Harry came into the world during the height of The Great Depression, the last of five children. All of his immediate family preceded him in death. Harry graduated from Arsenal Technical High School and became the first member of his family to attend college. Feeling the Lord calling him into ministry, Harry enrolled at Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee. His small graduating class produced over a dozen ministers and missionaries who served all over the world for half a century. Immediately upon graduating from JBC, Harry married the love of his life, Gail Goodner of Indianapolis, who he cared for lovingly until physically unable to do so just a few months ago. They partnered in ministry during the entirety of their 66-year marriage. Gail survives him, as do their three children: Scott (Charlotte) Pitts, Mark (Nancy) Pitts, and Dana (Neil) Burnette. All three serve in paid or volunteer ministry, a source of pride for Harry, and all three deeply loved and appreciated their father’s devotion to them and to Christ. Harry also loved his five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Harry served as a senior pastor to churches in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, and North Carolina, his longest tenure as the founding pastor of Lebanon (IN) Christian Church. He developed a reputation for interesting and Biblical sermons, passionate support for local evangelism and overseas missions, and genuine love for the congregations and communities he served. Even in “retirement,” Harry continued to preach for Central Indiana churches that occasionally found themselves without senior pastors, and with 30+ years, he became one of the, if not THE longest serving volunteer chaplain in the history of Witham Hospital (Lebanon, IN). Harry’s legacy of pastoral care through preaching, teaching, mentoring, counseling, and countless weddings, funerals, and hospital visits will likely endure through several generations. His family and friends will miss him greatly, but they rejoice in knowing that Harry enjoys the heavenly reward promised to all those who follow and trust Jesus Christ. That, in capsule summary, describes Harry Pitts.
Family and friends will gather Wednesday, Sep. 7, for visitation from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Lebanon Christian Church, 610 W. 250 N., Lebanon, IN 46052. A funeral service will be held Thursday, Sep. 8, at 11 a.m. in the church, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. Harry will be laid to rest at Pleasant View Cemetery in rural Lebanon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Johnson University Scholarship Fund in Knoxville, TN.
Final care of Harry has been entrusted to the Strawmyer & Drury Mortuary, 2400 N. Lebanon Street, Lebanon.
