July 16, 2009

OBITUARIES

Phyllis Hitchcock

Phyllis Hitchcock died on July 11 at Friends Care Center of Yellow Springs. She was 87.

Phyllis was born in Shreve, Ohio, to Howard and Lena Leiner on Jan. 24, 1922. She grew up in the adjacent village of Millersburg.

Phyllis studied psychology and home economics at Miami University. After college, she was employed by the Chicago Bureau of Tourism, and later as a social worker. She married Bob on Dec. 1, 1943, shortly before his service with the Navy in the South Pacific during World War II. Bob’s career at Frigidaire later took the family to numerous U.S. destinations, including Chicago, Kansas City, Hudson, Ohio, and Dayton.

Phyllis made a career of her marriage, children and grandchildren. She was an exceptional wife, mother and grandmother. In part, she achieved that in keeping with the traditional roles of her generation. She was a fabulous caretaker, cook, seamstress, gardener, hostess and housekeeper. She was also a very intelligent, open-minded woman who never stopped pursuing her interest in politics, literature and world affairs.

She will be remembered as the most wonderful mom and grandma ever, having instilled in her children both an obligation to tradition and order as well as a sense of adventure and freedom, and the value of both in moderation. She was a committed progressive who had fond memories of turning cartwheels for joy when Roosevelt won the election of 1932 and who never wavered in her support of the good cause.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Ruth Leiner; and her beloved husband, Robert Russell Hitchcock.

She is survived by her children and their partners, Michael and Kathryn Hitchcock of Yellow Springs, Bradley and Deborah Hitchcock of Fairborn, Carol and Todd Grundberg of Dublin, Ohio and James and Janelle Hitchcock of Oak Hill, Ohio; her grandchildren, Jessica and Michael Bily, Zachary Hitchcock, Tyler Hitchcock, Molly Hitchcock, Nicholas Grundberg, Eric Grundberg, Amanda Hitchcock, Emily Hitchcock, Benjamin Hitchcock and Jacob Hitchcock; step-grandchildren, Brian and Pamela Layh, Ellery and Sarah Clark, and Meika and Donald Robinson; and step-great grandchildren, Reese and Ashton Layh and Anya Robinson.

Phyllis donated her body to the Boonshoft School of Medicine and requested that no services be held. The family requests that donations in lieu of flowers be made to either the American Diabetes Association, Friends Care Center or the Greene County Democratic Party.

JoAnn Mahle

JoAnn Fischi Mahle died of cancer on July 9 at the Hospice of Dayton. JoAnn was 72.

She was born Sept. 17, 1936, to James and Mamie Fischi in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. JoAnn grew up in Daleville, Pa., but went to high school in Scranton. While in Daleville she worked in the family diner. She went to college at East Stroudsburg University and graduated with her bachelors. She immediately became a secondary school teacher in Baltimore and Philadelphia.

JoAnn moved to Yellow Springs in 1963 and raised her children, Linda and David, while teaching at Mills Lawn. First she taught third graders, and later, JoAnn became the school’s Title I specialist, a position in which she was unique in her effectiveness in teaching children to read. She continued her education and gained her masters at Wright State University.

JoAnn also had a special interest in helping graduating Yellow Springs students who deal with the effects of learning problems such as dyslexia. She was one of the founders of the GEM (Go the Extra Mile) Award Endowment at the Yellow Springs Community Foundation, an annual award for YSHS graduates.

JoAnn will be remembered especially for her love of, and dedication to, her two children and six grandchildren. That capacity of dedication to children was also obvious and important to the many, many students, parents and guardians she knew at Mills Lawn.

JoAnn was an active member of the Noble Circle Project, a community of women thriving beyond cancer that offers support, inspiration and educational resources to its members.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her father and mother and her brothers, Joseph and Vince.

She is survived by her daughter, Linda Newsome of Kettering; her son and daughter-in-law, David and Erika Mahle of Cedarville; grandchildren, Ryan, Roland and Roman Newsome and Hudson, Jaden and Sophia Mahle; her loving companion, Perry Stewart of Yellow Springs and her former husband, Karl Mahle of Denver.

A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Yellow Springs on Saturday, July 18, 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Yellow Springs Community Foundation for the GEM Endowment or to the Noble Circle Project.

Stephen Pitstick

Stephen Edward Pitstick died on Friday, July 10, at the age of 58. He was the son of Arthur and the late Martha “Jane” (Cornwell) Pitstick and lived most of his life on the family farm outside of Yellow Springs. Seven years ago he moved into Hope Homes in Fairborn. He loved his new place, which came complete with air conditioning, cable TV and good friends to share his home and take care of him.

Steve was a 1970 graduate of Fairborn High School and Greene County Career Center, where he worked at Scotts’ Nursery. He was employed on the family farm for more than 30 years, until he started working at Greene, Inc. in Xenia. Through Greene, Inc. Steve worked at Burger King in Fairborn, the Mall at Fairfield Commons and Wright State University. Steve was a history buff, had a great memory, and was everyone’s favorite teammate in Trivial Pursuit. He was very devoted to his family and never missed a family get-together. He was very pleased to be able to attend the Pitstick family reunion just days before his death.

Steve was preceded in death by his brother Frankie in 1958 and his mother in 1999.

He is survived by his father; brothers and sisters, Barb and Dale Jones of Huber Heights; Jim and Kathy Pitstick of Yellow Springs; Mary Ann and Steve Wasser of California, Mo.; David Pitstick and Christine Partee of Cedarville; Donna Pitstick Haller of Yellow Springs; and Ron Pitstick of Union; 19 nieces and nephews; and 12 great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 15, with burial at St. Paul Catholic Cemetery, where Steve was laid to rest next to his mother and brother. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Greene County MRDD at 245 Valley Road, Xenia, OH 45385.