Obituary for Pastor Samuel McDaniel Pittman
Long time Southern Baptist pastor and denominational executive Samuel (Sam) McDaniel Pittman, age 90, went home to be with his Lord, February 16, 2019 in Highland Village, Texas following a lengthy illness.
He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Cheryl A. Tucker, and son-in-law, Dr. Michael G. Tucker, and two grandsons, David W. Tucker, his wife Kimberly, and Michael M. Tucker, all of Texas; a son, Vance Mayhugh Pittman of Florida; two granddaughters, Constance and her husband, Ryan Blackwell, and Crystal and her husband, Nigel Sidial, and two great grandchildren, Christopher Taylor and Nigel Sidial all of Virginia; and a sister, Betty Reid, of South Carolina.
Sam was a native of Greenville, South Carolina and raised in the shadow of Paris Mountain. He was the son of the late Alvin and Rosalee Pittman of South Carolina. Sam was an alumnus of Furman University where he played football on a scholarship. He earned two degrees (B.D. and Th.M.) at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
He served twenty years as a pastor and director of missions in South Carolina, including pastorates at Six Mile Baptist Church and Mountain View Baptist Church in Six Mile; Homeland Park Baptist Church in Anderson; and as the founding pastor of Lee Road Baptist Church in Taylors. He led the Beaverdam Baptist Association in Seneca as Director of Missions, the first to serve in that role.. His passion for missions was demonstrated early in his ministry through his many short-term mission trips to Africa, Asia, and South America.
In 1973 he joined the staff of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board in Richmond, Virginia, which is now the International Mission Board (IMB). He worked out of the Office of the President serving with Dr. Baker James Cauthen, Dr. Keith Parks, and Dr. Jerry Rankin. His responsibilities included denominational relations, communications, and promotion of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Sam never met a stranger and many called him the unofficial “chaplain of the breakroom” as he was always willing to listen. He retired from the IMB in 1996 and served as an interim pastor in several Virginia churches. His last interim was at Smithland Baptist Church in Heathsville, Virginia. He is buried in the Smithland Baptist Church Cemetery next to the love of his life, Katherine “Ann” Mayhugh Pittman, his wife of 49 years.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Sam’s life on March 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at First Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Michael G. Tucker will preside.
In lieu of flowers, the family of Sam Pittman welcomes gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering of the International Mission Board online at https://give.imb.org/ or via check payable to IMB and mailed to the International Mission Board, Attention: Ministry Advancement, 3806 Monument Avenue Richmond, Virginia 23230. Please name Sam Pittman in the gift so the family is notified of your expression of sympathy and love.
He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Cheryl A. Tucker, and son-in-law, Dr. Michael G. Tucker, and two grandsons, David W. Tucker, his wife Kimberly, and Michael M. Tucker, all of Texas; a son, Vance Mayhugh Pittman of Florida; two granddaughters, Constance and her husband, Ryan Blackwell, and Crystal and her husband, Nigel Sidial, and two great grandchildren, Christopher Taylor and Nigel Sidial all of Virginia; and a sister, Betty Reid, of South Carolina.
Sam was a native of Greenville, South Carolina and raised in the shadow of Paris Mountain. He was the son of the late Alvin and Rosalee Pittman of South Carolina. Sam was an alumnus of Furman University where he played football on a scholarship. He earned two degrees (B.D. and Th.M.) at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
He served twenty years as a pastor and director of missions in South Carolina, including pastorates at Six Mile Baptist Church and Mountain View Baptist Church in Six Mile; Homeland Park Baptist Church in Anderson; and as the founding pastor of Lee Road Baptist Church in Taylors. He led the Beaverdam Baptist Association in Seneca as Director of Missions, the first to serve in that role.. His passion for missions was demonstrated early in his ministry through his many short-term mission trips to Africa, Asia, and South America.
In 1973 he joined the staff of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board in Richmond, Virginia, which is now the International Mission Board (IMB). He worked out of the Office of the President serving with Dr. Baker James Cauthen, Dr. Keith Parks, and Dr. Jerry Rankin. His responsibilities included denominational relations, communications, and promotion of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Sam never met a stranger and many called him the unofficial “chaplain of the breakroom” as he was always willing to listen. He retired from the IMB in 1996 and served as an interim pastor in several Virginia churches. His last interim was at Smithland Baptist Church in Heathsville, Virginia. He is buried in the Smithland Baptist Church Cemetery next to the love of his life, Katherine “Ann” Mayhugh Pittman, his wife of 49 years.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Sam’s life on March 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at First Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Michael G. Tucker will preside.
In lieu of flowers, the family of Sam Pittman welcomes gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering of the International Mission Board online at https://give.imb.org/ or via check payable to IMB and mailed to the International Mission Board, Attention: Ministry Advancement, 3806 Monument Avenue Richmond, Virginia 23230. Please name Sam Pittman in the gift so the family is notified of your expression of sympathy and love.