Donald Sydney Pitts

HOT SPRINGS — Donald Sydney Pitts, 81, died Aug. 2, 2005, in Sacramento.

A member of the Salish & Kootenai Tribe, Don was the son of Virgil and Geneva (Houle) Pitts, he was born in St. Ignatius on Dec. 12, 1923. He lived in Valley Creek, and later moved to Hot Springs where he attended school and graduated from high school in 1923. He then went to the U of M for a year and was affiliated with S.A.E. fraternity. Don then moved to Portland and became an orderly in the main hospital there before returning to Hot Springs where he enlisted in the Merchant Marines in 1942. Don served two years in the South Pacific. In 1944, he was honorably discharged.

Returning to Hot Springs, he was engaged in many occupations: a truck driver on the new Alaska Highway — when the weather became bad he returned to Hot Springs and started a dairy company. Upon selling the dairy he went to Lewistown and worked on the railroad; returning to Hot Springs to start an excavation business. Selling that business, he went to Sacramento, and worked for a dairy for 23 years plus working with the City Ambulance on call. He then retired and went into the rare coin business until he permanently retired.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a stepmother Serena (Marquardt) Pitts and sister Donna.

Survivors include brother Eugene (Faye) Pitts of Dixon; sister Nena (Bud) Heitmiller of Hawaii; nieces Letti (John) Neuman of Polson, Kolynn (Paul) Sinclair of Yakima, Wash., and Teresa (Derk) Olea of Sacramento; nephews Dr. Garry (Christine) Pitts of Polson, Terry (Crystal) Pitts of Dixon, Larry (Ginger) Pitts of Pablo, Robert Veitch of Helena and Stephen Heitmiller of California and numerous grand-nephews and grand-nieces.

Cremation has taken place and services will held later at Lone Pine Cemetery where he will be laid to rest by his father.