Few people live a life as spirited and poignant as the life that Chaplain Paul Pitts lead. Chaplain Pitts dedicated his life to working and ministering in his community and providing much-needed support and guidance to his fellow veterans.
“He was totally—100%—devoted to veterans,” Father Philip Shaw said of his dear friend. Pitts worked as an Airforce Auxiliary Chaplain, a hospice Chaplain for Living Waters Hospice in Golden Valley, and as a Chaplain for countless other service members and first responders in our community.
“He probably did his best work through the Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council,” Shaw continued. “He was the guy all the vets went to.” Chaplain Pitts performed innumerable veteran funerals, including funerals for veterans belonging to all denominations.
“He was just all into what Jesus was about: taking care of each other,” Shaw said.
Father Shaw also said that Chaplain Pitts was the heart and soul of Kingman Unified Pastoral Association (KUPA), an interfaith group of religious leaders dedicated to discussing and fighting against antisemitism, homophobia, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and conservative Christian nationalism, among many other topics. Shaw continued by saying that denomination held very little importance to the Chaplain, and that Chaplain Pitts believed that we are all seeking God in our own ways, but we are all seeking the same God.
Father Shaw also shared a profound and emotional story about his friend, stating that he and Chaplain Pitts had breakfast together shortly before his death. Shaw explained Chaplain Pitts struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in connection with his military service and asked if Shaw had oil with him, knowing that Father Shaw always carries anointing oil.
“He asked me to bless him,” Shaw said, choking up. “He knelt down, and I blessed him for peace and psychological healing.”
Two days later, the news spread of the Chaplain’s passing.
Chaplain Paul Pitts touched the hearts of everyone he met and was entirely devoted to ministering people the most in need and loving everyone exactly as Jesus had intended. It is apparent through Shaw’s words that Chaplain Pitts will be deeply missed for years to come.
“He was a wonderful man, and a wonderful friend,” Shaw said. “He was one of the noblest guys I knew, and one of my best friends.”
A public memorial will be held on Sunday, August 15 at 3 pm. The service will take place at Trinity Episcopal Church at 425 East Spring Street in Kingman, AZ and will be followed by a reception. For more information, please contact Father Benjamin Rodenbeck at (928) 263-9878, Father Philip Shaw at (928) 853-5371, or Father Leonard Walker at (602) 432-7808.
Andrea L. Heer
As President of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 765, I first met Paul on the ramp of our EAA B-17 tour stop at Kingman Airport in 2017, he was “the guy in the flight suit” that I asked about. He had come to give service at a veterans event that morning and decided to stay on and volunteer to help out with the B-17 that was giving tours and flights. A couple of days later I got Paul on a flight of the B-17 with me and a friendship was born.
In 2018 and 2019 Paul served as our warbird ramp supervisor at the Kingman AirFest, working with visiting flight crews and directing flight operations. This was a job he knew well, he had worked the B-52 ramp as a crew chief in Thailand during the later Vietnam War. He also worked the ramp at our recent EAA Young Eagles event in June. He was planning on being head of the warbird ramp for the 2021 Kingman AirFest in October. Paul loved being out on the ramp working with pilots and airplanes.
In the short number of years that I knew Paul, he was always a friend, a person that you wanted to include in things. He had a strong sense of volunteering and giving back to others. He was always steadfast in his beliefs, but also compassionate and considerate of others.
Paul was an amazing man, a good friend, and someone who will be missed by so many.
As President of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 765, I first met Paul on the ramp of our EAA B-17 tour stop at Kingman Airport in 2017, he was “the guy in the flight suit” that I asked about. He had come to give service at a veterans event that morning and decided to stay on and volunteer to help out with the B-17 that was giving tours and flights. A couple of days later I got Paul on a flight of the B-17 with me and a friendship was born.
In 2018 and 2019 Paul served as our warbird ramp supervisor at the Kingman AirFest, working with visiting flight crews and directing flight operations. This was a job he knew well, he had worked the B-52 ramp as a crew chief in Thailand during the later Vietnam War. He also worked the ramp at our recent EAA Young Eagles event in June. He was planning on being head of the warbird ramp for the 2021 Kingman AirFest in October. Paul loved being out on the ramp working with pilots and airplanes.
In the short number of years that I knew Paul, he was always a friend, a person that you wanted to include in things. He had a strong sense of volunteering and giving back to others. He was always steadfast in his beliefs, but also compassionate and considerate of others.
Paul was an amazing man, a good friend, and someone who will be missed by so many.