Dana Orebaugh

Dana Pitts Orebaugh's light on this earth was extinguished late Thursday night, January 2, 2014. May it continue to shine as she joins our parents in the next life. Many thanks to everyone for the well wishes and remembrances you have shared.

Dana was born to Doris Parnell Pitts and James. B. Pitts, Jr. M.D. on August 25, 1949 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Dana graduated from Classen High School. She attended The University of Oklahoma and was a member of Gamma Phi Beta Social Sorority and later received her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma.

At Classen she was the Editor of the Classen Yearbook, “The Orbit”. She was a member of the Classette Pep Squad and several other student organizations. Her favorite teacher was Coach John (Runaway) Dunaway.

When Dana was young she did volunteer work at a local nursing home. Her first paying job was as a swimming instructor at the old Downtown YWCA. She worked at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in the Foundation’s ground breaking lipid research program.

Dana enjoyed participating in Girl Scouts and going to camp at Red Rock where she eventually became a counselor. She enjoyed painting and sketching with pastels. She also enjoyed tennis and swimming. She was on The Sportsman’s Club Swimming Team for several seasons.

On September 4, 1987 she married the love of her life Jim Orebaugh in Dallas, Texas. Jim cherished Dana and he courted her until her untimely death.

Dana loved children and treated her nieces and nephews as her own so it was the thrill of her lifetime when she found her own daughter, Jennifer Nikbakht, on January 7, 2012. Their reunion was in San Pedro, California and then Jennifer later came to Oklahoma to meet the rest of her family. Dana and Jenny only had a short time to enjoy each other while Dana was still living but they both made up for lost time.

Dana was preceded in death by her parents Doris and Jimmie Pitts. She is survived by her loving husband Jim Orebaugh of Edmond, Oklahoma, her daughter Jennifer Nikbakht, husband Mike, and grand-daughter Carly of San Pedro, California. She is much loved by her brother Jamie Pitts and sisters Margo Pitts and Laurie Brown and husband Jeff of Oklahoma City. Dana’s nieces and nephews include Devon Pitts Hartley and husband Bill and grand-daughter Regan of Anna, Texas, James Pitts, Ben Riddles of Oklahoma City, Brian Orebaugh and wife DeeDee and Tracy Torres and husband Carlos.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, for their works which were close to Dana's heart.

Services will be held Wednesday, January 8 at 2:00pm at Hahn Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Home, 6600 Broadway Extension, Oklahoma City with internment to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery at Memorial Road and Kelly Ave east of Broadway.

Arrangements under the direction of Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Directors, Oklahoma City, OK.