Joseph H. Pitts

Framingham - Mr. Joseph H. Pitts, of Framingham, died Saturday, January 27, 2007 in the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut. He leaves his wife of 40 years, Jane F. (Whalen) Pitts; two step-sons, Lawrence B. Tobin of Saugus and Gary J. Tobin of East Boston; two sisters, Beverly Keough of Waltham and Helen Collins of Watertown; a sister-in-law, Colleen Whalen of Natick; four grandchildren, Jennifer, Jason, Jeannine and Sandy Tobin and many nieces and nephews. His siblings, George, William and Raymond Pitts, Dorothy DiGregorio, Winifred Crowley, and Arlene Kohler all predeceased him. Joe was born in Waltham, a son of the late William H. and Nellie F. (Condon) Pitts and graduated from St. Charles Borromeo High School. A veteran of the Korean Conflict, he served with the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. Manchester. He moved to Framingham over 20 years ago and was a longtime volunteer at The Fernald Center in Waltham. Mr. Pitts worked as a facilities manager at Genome Therapeutics Corporation in Waltham, retiring in 2003. Previously, he had worked at the Collaborative Research Company. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral at 9 a.m. Wednesday from The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham, followed by a Funeral Mass in The Chapel of the Holy Innocents at the Fernald Center, 200 Trapelo Road, Waltham at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. Visiting hours are Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Chapel of the Holy Innocents, c/o Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02453.