Glyndolen “Gwen” Fernice (Smith) Pitts, 88, of Uvalde died on Dec. 16, 2016, at her residence. She was born on Oct. 24, 1928, in Goforth to Fern (Foster) and Henry Claude Smith. She was the fifth of eight children born to the couple. She grew up in Chapman Ranch, and at the age of 16 she quit school to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company as an operator. In 1946, she moved to La Pryor with her family. There she met the love of her life, Paul Pratt Pitts. They were married in 1946, and the family says they spent the next 63 years fiercely devoted to one another until his death in 2009. During their marriage, the couple resided in Uvalde, Eagle Pass, Pearsall, La Pryor, Rocksprings, Zapata and Leakey. According to the family, Pitts took pride and pleasure in her roles as a wife, mother, friend, and family member; she was not ashamed to admit that she never learned to swim or flew on an airplane; and she was content working in her yard, solving puzzles, cooking, and coming up with projects to keep her husband busy. The family says she loved fishing at Falcon Lake on the Rio Grande; family legacy and genealogy were very important to her; and she remembered dates of births, deaths, and anniversaries better than most. Stories she passed down are cherished by her family. She also helped organize the annual Smith Family Reunion, held at Brackenridge Park in San Antonio, for more than 30 years. According to the family, outside of family life, her greatest accomplishment was owning and running the La Pryor Drug Store from 1968 to 1975, where she was a pillar of the community. It was a favorite hangout for her sons and their friends. Pitts was also known as “Sis,” “Sissy,” “Mom” and “Memaw.” She is survived by three sons, Paul Pitts and wife, Merry Dee, of Uvalde, Neal Pitts and wife, Lynda, of Hamilton, and Paul W. McCallum of Grapevine; 10 grandchildren, Ryan Pitts and Erik Pitts, both of Uvalde, Nicole Gueck, Renee Williams, and Toby Pitts, all of Bryan/College Station, Dionicia McCallum, Rheonna Croy, Caleb McCallum, Lanham McCallum, and Micaley McCallum, all of the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area; eleven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Waneva “Nina Jo” Chapman of Corpus Christi, and Frances “Huchie” Reynolds of Carrolton; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Pitts was preceded in death by her parents; five siblings, Sarahbell Hartense “Hortie” Robbins, Omalene Cox, Claude “Sonny” Smith, Baby Darling Dean Smith, and Vallejo Dillard; and her husband, Paul Pitts. Graveside services were held yesterday at 10 a.m. at the La Pryor Cemetery. Pallbearers were Paul Pitts, Neal Pitts, P.W. McCallum, Ryan Pitts, Erik Pitts, and Toby Pitts. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Uvalde County 4-H Program, P.O. Box 1708, Uvalde, TX, 78802, with the subject line “Gwen Pitts, Heifer International Ark Project,” an effort led by great-granddaughter, Mackenzie Pitts.
RUSHING-ESTES-KNOWLES MORTUARY, WWW.REKFUNERALS.COM