Dortha Dean Pitts

Dortha Dean Pitts, age 92, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, passed away on Monday, July 21, 2025. She was born on May 27, 1933, in Bates, Arkansas, to James Oliver Kunkel and Daisy Lea Kunkel (Burns). The family moved to California in 1935 during the height of the Great Depression and settled permanently in San Martin, California, when Dortha was 12 years old. She attended San Martin Elementary School and later graduated at the top of her class from Live Oak High School.

After graduation, Dortha began working for the telephone company. She was actively involved in the Pentecostal Holiness Church in San Martin, where she was cherished and loved by many. Her brother David often remarked that she was their dad’s favorite!

Though she had many admirers, one day she met a young, handsome man named Dorman who was visiting from Sacramento. He was playing guitar at her church. Dorman quickly wrote her a letter asking to court her, and she accepted.

Dorman and Dortha were married on March 25, 1955, at the San Martin Pentecostal Holiness Church. They honeymooned in Lake Tahoe before settling in Sacramento. Dortha began her career as a key data operator at the Department of Motor Vehicles, a position she held for 25 years before transitioning to the Employment Development Department, from which she eventually retired.

Dortha often recounted the story of how her professional journey began. As a stay-at-home mom at that time, she bought a vacuum cleaner from a door-to-door salesman without consulting her frugal husband, who was not happy about the purchase. In her typical stubborn fashion, she insisted on paying for it herself by going back to work. She would later jokingly say, “That sure was an expensive vacuum!” In 1993, after the birth of her granddaughter Hailee, she took early retirement to become a stay-at-home grandmother, caring for Hailee and Logan during the day while her daughter, Teresa, completed her teaching degree.

Dortha was known as the queen of hospitality, a trait inherited from her beautiful mother, Daisy. Whenever friends or family visited, she prepared enough food to feed them and the entire neighborhood. Christmas was her favorite holiday, during which she loved decorating, baking cookies, hosting family gatherings, and showcasing her collections of bears and dolls.

Dortha frequently shared her passion for knitting and crocheting with family and friends, creating many cherished gifts over the years. She was a loyal friend, always trustworthy with prayer requests. Dortha enjoyed taking many trips with her long-time friends—Louise, Marion, Ann, and Barbara—and her favorite pastime was reading at the beach.

Traveling and spending time with her siblings was incredibly special to her. She enjoyed wonderful moments in Kauai with her brother Howard and his wife, Jean, and created lasting memories in Branson with her sister Melba and her family. Numerous road trips were taken to spend time with her brothers Jim and David, along with their families. She also made long drives to Arkansas to visit extended family and had camping adventures with her young daughters. Later, she often took her grandchildren along with her and Dorman to "camp" in their fifth-wheel trailer.

Throughout her life, Dortha and her family were actively involved in the church. After moving to Sacramento, she was a dedicated member of Bethel Temple, which later became Capital Christian Center, for over 50 years.

Life revolved around her family, and many great memories were made and shared over the years. She cherished her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, showering them with love and attention. Dortha maintained close bonds with both her immediate and extended family, celebrating many Christmases, birthdays, and special occasions with her siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. She always remembered birthdays, graduations, births, and anniversaries, ensuring that no special moment went unnoticed.

Dortha was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Dorman Pitts; her oldest daughter, Linda Pitts; her older siblings, Howard John (Jean) Kunkel and Melba T.C. (Truman) Risley; and her sister-in-law, Mary Sue (Patrick) Pledger. She is survived by her devoted daughter, Teresa (Joe) Machado; her

adoring grandson, Logan (Farrah) Stark; and her loving granddaughter, Hailee (Roy) Stark-Chavez. She also leaves behind her beautiful great-grandchildren, Mila and Wesley Stark; her brothers, James (Brenda) Kunkel and David (Kathy) Kunkel; her brothers-in-law, Wayne (Liz) Pitts and Glen (Wanda) Pitts; and her sisters-in-law, Sharon (Gerald) Johnson and Belinda Kay (Junior) Harris, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

“Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure, you are loved beyond words, and missed beyond measure.”

A visitation will be held on August 20th at 10:30 AM at Apex Funeral Home at 550 W. Williams St., Apex, NC 27502. A memorial service will follow the visitation at 11:00.