W. J. Pitman

Dr. W.J. Pitman, age 90, of Murray, KY died Sunday, February 1, 2015 surrounded by his family at Murray Calloway County Hospital. W.J. was born at home, August 12, 1924, in Murray, next door to where he resided on Olive Street for the past 48 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Judson Pitman and Opal Robinson Pitman.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Martha Lyle Pitman, of Goshen, Virginia; sons, Dr. William Judson 'Jay' Pitman, of Paducah, and Michael (Laura) Pitman, of Murray; daughters, Martha Lyle Pitman (Clay) Rogers, of Roswell, GA, and Suzanne (Steven) Crook, of Nashville, TN; grandchildren, Judson Pitman, Zachary Pitman, Will Pitman, Claire Pitman, Catherine Rogers, Anna Rogers & Nash Crook.

After graduating from Murray High School in 1942, W.J. enrolled at Murray State College. His studies were interrupted in March 1943 after being inducted into the U.S. Army, at 18. During WW II, he served as a medic in the 110th General Hospital, in the European Theater. He was honorably discharged as a Corporal, March 1946, and returned to complete his B.S. degree in Biology at Murray State.

W.J. earned his M.S. Degree in 1951 from Ohio State University, and began his teaching career at Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia. During that time he met Martha, whom he married on April 14, 1956.

As he worked toward his PhD at Ohio State, W.J. also studied at Mountain Lake Biological Station of the University of Virginia and Ohio State's Stone Lab in Lake Erie, Put-in-Bay, OH. In 1959, he was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to continue research study toward his PhD, on which he spent six months at the Marine Biological Lab in Plymouth, England.

After 10 years in Virginia, W. J. returned to Kentucky joining the Department of Biological Sciences at Murray State University. He was awarded his PhD from Ohio State in 1970.



During his tenure, Dr. Pitman served as Department Chairman, published numerous articles, served on state allied health committees and was a visionary in many areas at Murray State, including the development of the Hunter Hancock Biological Station, on KY Lake. His passion for teaching, advising students and promoting the Biology Department continued long after his retirement in July 1989. In 2006, an Anatomy Lab at Murray State University was named in his honor.

W.J. was a lifelong and faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Murray. Through the years he enjoyed teaching Sunday school and serving on various committees. He was a member of the Solomon Sunday School Class.

Visitation will be Wednesday evening, February 4, 2015 from 5-8 p.m., at J.H. Churchill Funeral Home, Murray, KY. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of the J.H. Churchill Funeral Home; Pastors Keith Inman, Boyd Smith and Reverend Kerry Lambert officiating. Interment will follow in the Murray City Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy can be made to the Dr. W.J. & Martha Pitman Biology Endowed Scholarship Fund, Office of Development, 200 Heritage Hall, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071 or to the Humane Society-Calloway County, 607 Poplar Street, Murray, KY 42071.

Online condolences cane made at, www.thejhchurchillfuneralhome.com