Milo Pitcher - 1908-1988

PITCHER, MALLOY, ZELLE, DORSCH, HILBURN

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 1/12/2011 at 14:49:56

SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa REPUBLICAN-STANDARD, August 16, 1988
Contributor: Connie Ellis (IaGenWeb volunteer)

Milo Pitcher, age 80, teacher at Waukon's High School, Waukon, Iowa in the late 1930's and early 1940's died in Marshalltown, Iowa Monday, August 8, 1988. Funeral services were held August 11 at the First United Methodist Church, Marshalltown with burial at Collins, Iowa, where he grew up and was educated before graduating from Iowa State University, Ames, in 1932.

He was born March 31, 1908 in Marshalltown, the son of Austin L. and Lucille (Malloy) Pitcher. On June 30, 1938 he was married to Elsie Zelle in Waterloo,Iowa. Pitcher introduced Smith Hughes agriculture to the Waukon schools in 1936 and taught here through the summer of 1941. "My Heritage on Hominy Ridge" which he wrote and published in 1977, relates many stories of his years in Waukon and the beauties of northeast Iowa. He married during his years in Waukon and their eldest son was born in Waukon.

Milo not only wrote after his retirement but he became a world traveler and a well known volunteer through his work with the Evening Lions Club and as a volunteer entertainer at local nursing homes and the Iowa Veterans home, where he played the organ on a regular basis over the years. As chairman of the Lions eyeglass project, he interviewed needy people with vision problems and made recommendations that the club finance eye exams and glasses for those young people and adults.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church; a 50 year Mason and member of Order of Eastern Star as well as Lions Club.

He is survived by his wife, Elsie, two sons, Merritt of Morrison, Illinois and Warren of West Des Moines, Iowa; a daughter, Virginia (Mrs. James) Dorsch of Alexandria, Virginia; six grandchildren; a sister, Velma (Mrs. Howard) Hilburn of Collins, Iowa, and two brothers, Howard Pitcher of State Center, Iowa and Marshall Pitcher of Maquoketa, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by a brother.