Keith Edward

Pittenger

Keith Edward Pittenger, 81, of Alex, died July 30, 2018, at his home. The son of William Alfred Earl Pittenger and Dorothy Lavern (Wolridge) Pittenger, he was born December 4, 1936 in Brookings, South Dakota.

In 1941, the family moved to a farm south of Aurora, South Dakota. Keith went to a country school grades 1st thru 8 ^th and Brookings High School 9 ^th thru 12 ^th grade. He graduated in 1955 and stayed on the farm and worked at Marshall Produce driving a route truck picking up cream and eggs for the farmers in the surrounding area. On January 1, 1957 he enlisted in the Army. He flew to Fort Ord, California for nine weeks of basic training, then to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey attending a school for Signal Parts Specialist Course and he received his diploma on June 21, 1957. He then went to Fort Louis, Washington, staying on base until he left out for two years and ten days at Anchorage, Alaska, in the Infantry Division. He was home on leave when he met Barbara Jean Lambertus. Keith returned to Fort Dix, New Jersey to finish out his term and was discharged on January 9, 1960. Keith was in the reserve for the next three years and he received his honorable discharge January 31, 1963. On December 2, 1961, he married Barbara Jean Lambertus at the United Methodist Church at Brookings, South Dakota. They made their home in Brookings, where he was employed with a roofing company and later worked at S.D.S.U. in the farming division. On January 16, 1963, a son Terry Lynn was born at Hendricks, Minnesota. The family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On June 3, 1965 a daughter Tamera Lynette was born at Dell Rapids, South Dakota. The family then moved to Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and finally to Oklahoma. Keith collected old tractors on steel wheels, restoring them and taking them to tractor shows. He received many trophies. Keith also enjoyed fishing and playing cards.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Barbara, of the home; one daughter, Tamera Dorris and her husband, Clayton, of Blanchard; one son, Terry Pittenger and his wife, Samantha, of Panama City, Florida; four grandchildren, Clayton Dorris and his wife, Sarah, Cynthia Maddox and her husband, Joe, Chelci Kelly and her husband, Brandon, and Carrie Dorris; two great grandchildren, Layla Maddox and Ryan Yount; three sisters, Phyllis Kooken and her husband, Ray, of Conifer, Colorado, Virginia Pittenger of Brookings, South Dakota, and Judy Hartman of Colman, South Dakota; many nieces and nephews; and many other loved ones and friends.

"My father didn't tell me how to live, he lived, and let me watch him do it" -- Clarence Budington Kelland

Graveside service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Friday, August 3, 2018, at the Ninnekah Cemetery in Ninnekah. Arrangements are under the direction of Eisenhour Funeral Home of Blanchard. Online obituary and guestbook are available at www.eisenhourfh.com.