Patricia Jean "Patti" Pitts

Patricia Jean "Patti" Pitts, 66, died peacefully on February 20, 2019, from frontal temporal dementia at her home in Jefferson City surrounded by her loving family.

Patti was born on February 6, 1953, in St. Louis. Her parents were Mici Clara (Van Buren) Schindler and John Raymond Schindler.

Patti grew up in a loving family with 10 siblings and her parents. She attended St. Stephen Elementary School and graduated from St. Elizabeth High School in 1971. As a child she enjoyed playing sports and reading library books.

Patti graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Development in 1975.

Patti married the love of her life, Phillip Pitts, on May 17, 1975, at the Newman Center in Columbia. She worked as a nursery school teacher for two years at Carondelet Daycare in St. Louis before starting her career as a social worker in 1977. She worked for the Missouri Division of Family Services from 1977 to 1981 and again from 1984 to 2010. During her long career as a social worker Patti worked in income maintenance, home finding, investigations, and for the child abuse hotline in St. Louis, Hillsboro, and Jefferson City. She retired in 2010. In retirement, she enjoyed caring for her grandchildren.

Patti enjoyed reading, playing cards and board games, doing puzzles, bowling, making chocolate chip cookies, and celebrating Christmas. She especially enjoyed cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals and watching Lifetime movies. She also loved to watch her children play and coach sports. She followed their teams from Helias, St. Joseph Central, the University of Missouri, Truman State University, St. Thomas University, Northwest Missouri State, and Lincoln University. She was a regular walker at Capitol City Mall, Walmart, and Gerbes. In 1979, she and her family appeared on Family Feud and won over $6000.

Patti is survived by her husband Phil, her son Phillip, Phillip’s wife Lindsey (Brondel), and their children Kayla, Avery, and Phillip Wayne, her son Andrew, and her daughter Katie and Katie’s husband John Fandrey. In addition, Patti is survived by her sisters Cappi Wilson, Rose Kaplan (Jeff), Kathleen Miller (John), and Jennifer Riggs (John), and her brothers John Schindler (Vicki), Dan Schindler (Cindy), and Paul Schindler. Patti is also survived by her brothers-in-law Jim Hull, Curtis Paulsen, John Pitts (Eileen), and her sisters-in-law Dianna Koelliker (Terry) and Judith Meyer (Steve). And she is survived by godmother Sandra Crowe (Bob), and Patti and Phil’s nine foster children (Joey, Brandon, Robin, Linda, Susie, Angel, Carl, Annette, and Buster).

Patti was preceded in death by parents, two sisters, Debbi Hull and Barb Paulsen, a brother Charlie Schindler, her in-laws Bob and Katy Pitts, and two brothers-in-law, Bob Pitts Jr., and Pat Pitts.

Visitation for Patti’s family and friends will be held on Sunday, February 24, from 2:00 to 6:00 pm with a prayer and memory service at 6:00 pm at Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home, 3210 N Ten Mile Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109. There will be a short visitation for Patti at Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home on Monday morning 8:30-9 am.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, 2305 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65109. The celebrant will be Fr. Fred Elskamp and Deacon Dan Joyce will assist.

Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, 3015 W Truman Blvd, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Family and friends will gather after the interment for a social in the Undercroft at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.

If someone would like to make a contribution in memory of Patti, her family suggests Missouri River Regional Library, 214 Adams Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 (Patti really loved to read!) or to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Missouri Chapter, 2609 E Broadway, Suite 119, Columbia, MO 65201 (Let’s end dementia!).

Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Those wishing to email tributes or condolences to the family may do so at the www.dulletrimble.com website.