Glima Catherine Pittenger

November 25, 1937 – January 22, 2024

Glima Catherine Pittenger of Raleigh, formerly of Sarasota, FL, passed away peacefully with her loving daughters at her bedside on Monday, January 22, 2024.

Glima was born on November 25, 1937, in Langley, Kentucky to the late Paul Francis Jarrell and Rebecca Beryl Turner Jarrell. She retired from Mountaineer Gas Company after a successful 30-year career.

At the end of life, we so often focus on the “sunrise” and the “sunset”. But it is the period “in-between”, the dash (-), that truly defines a person. And the “in-between” defined Glima Catherine Pittenger. She was a strong and devoted person who understood a true measure of success.

She raised 3 daughters on her own when it was uncommon for a woman to be a single mother. It was a challenge she met with great success, devoting herself to her three daughters for nearly 20 years and putting aside many of her owns interests to focus all her attention on her daughters.

After her youngest was grown, Glima married her best friend and the love of her life, Ray Pittenger…and the adventure began! She considered Ray’s three adult children her own and became fast friends and second mother with each. She and Ray moved to Sarasota, Florida and reveled in a 28-year retirement filled with new friends, boats, fishing, barbecues, beer, bikinis, lots of music and visits from children and grandchildren. Such a grand time!

She measured her success in knowing that her children and grandchildren chose to spend their time with her. They wanted to spend holidays with her, and they wanted to hang out with “Nana” on the beach. She was always in the present with them. It was a joy to witness.

Glima was a devoted mother, a cherished Nana, and the best mother-in-law anyone could ever have. She will be missed. She will be remembered for her welcoming demeanor, service to others, her beautiful smile, her elegant fashion, her love of music, dancing and her number one rule to her daughters to never leave the house without wearing lip stick as first impressions are lasting impressions.

Glima is survived by daughters Toni McCreery (Noel Reid) of Bradenton, Florida, Jayne McNeil (Tom Butler) of Raleigh, NC, Debbie Hammersla (Mark) of Raleigh, NC, JeanAnn Grimes (Conley) of Richmond, VA, David Pittenger (Cathy) of College Station, TX, Rick Pittenger (Kathy) of Knoxville, TN, 14 Grandchildren, Cristi and Brandon McCreery, Brad McNeil, Misty Siebel, Tristan, Chandler and Spenser Hammersla, Darren and Kevin Grimes, Christopher, Kate and Jack Pittenger, Stuart Furlong, Samantha Pittenger, and 14 Great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Ray Pittenger, sister Billa Coy, and granddaughter Sloan Furlong.

The Family would like to provide a sincere thank you to the staff at Cadence of North Raleigh Assisted Living, Duke Raleigh Hospital and Amedisys Hospice for the exceptional care provided to her and to our family.

The funeral service will be held on February 9, 2024, at 2:00 pm at Raleigh Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel located at 7501 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612. Interment to follow.

The family invites you to also attend a Celebration of Life Reception from 4-7pm on February 9, 2024, at North Ridge Country Club located at 6612 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27615.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to Alzheimer’s Disease Research Fund at Duke University - https://neurology.duke.edu/about/donate/alzheimers-disease-research-fund

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