Carroll Pitman

Heading: Carroll Milton Pitman (Veteran) Dateline: Campobello Carroll Milton Pitman of Campobello, died Tuesday, June 2, 2009, at Smith Phayer Hospice House in Landrum. He was son of the late Jesse Milton and Hellen Crain Pitman. He is survived by his wife, Bette Howard Pitman; son, Art and wife Lee Pitman; granddaughters, Andrea Paige Martinez and Amy Lynne Pitman; great-grandchildren, Gavin, Hope, Faith and Shae all of Colorado; and a sister, Merleen Moore of Piedmont. Carroll was born July 30, 1926, in Greenville. He grew up in Taylors, and an early job was Gray Boy in the Print Room of Southern Bleachery & Print Works. In 1943 he joined the V5 Naval Aviation Program and attended Newberry College in the Preflight College Program. He graduated with a BS degree in Naval Service from the University of South Carolina with commission as an Ensign in the Navy. Out of the Navy at age 21, he was Boy Scouts of America Field Executive for Laurens and Newberry Counties. Later he joined the Navy, and served in the Crypto Messaging Center in Norfolk handling messages for the Atlantic Fleet. Among various ships on which he served was USS Aludra AF55, a supply ship for Task Force 77, part of the 7th Fleet. He served as Operations Officer, Assistant Communications Officer, Assistant Navigator, Officer of the Deck, Officer of the Day, etc., as the ship cruised the Sea of Japan replenishing the fast carrier group off the coast of South Korea. Carroll worked at Steel Heddle Inc. in Greenville for twenty-three years, initially in the Personnel Department doing time-and-motion studies, plant layouts, product flow, and cost analysis. As Industrial Division Vice President, he headed the foundry, machine shop, electric shop, metal stamping department, reed manufacturing, wire manufacturing and heat treating. By the seventies the weaving industry was declining and Philadelphia offices of Steel Heddle moved to Greenville to reorganize. As Financial Coordinator Carroll worked with a consultant to set up a new computerized cost-accounting system for the company. Subsequently he was Administration Vice President at Carolina Plating & Stamping Company. He retired at age 62 and independently did contract work as a computer programmer, with Krieger Corporation as a major client. In retirement years Carroll operated his long-held farm at Abner Creek. He moved to Campobello in 2002 and devoted himself to helping individuals and organizations both with genealogy and with preservation of the history and environmental beauty of the Carolina upcountry which he dearly loved. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Wood Mortuary, 300 W. Poinsett Street, Greer, S.C. A graveside service will be held on Friday at Woodlawn Memorial Park, Greenville, S.C. at 11:00 a.m., conducted by Rev. David Oliphant. Memorials may be made to Philadelphia Presbyterian Church, 120 Highway 14W, Landrum, S.C. 29356 or to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, P.O. Box 127, 270 Fairwinds Road, Landrum, S.C. 29356. Online condolences may be made at www.thewoodmortuary.com.

Carroll Pitman

July 30, 1926 - June 2, 2009