Tina Marie Pittman

Tina Marie Pittman (Murphy), age 41, passed away suddenly in a tragic boating accident off the coast of Ocean Shores on Thursday, September 10, 2015. She was born to the late Dominic Lee Murphy, Sr. and Peggy Ann Murphy (Van Fossen) on August 14, 1974, in Olympia, Washington.

Tina was an incredible light to so many and was preceded in death by her father, Dominic Murphy, Sr., her grandparents, George and Marjorie Van Fossen, her grandmother Donna MacDonald, her aunt Melissa Murphy, her aunt Marcy Scheelke, her uncle Arnold Van Fossen, her aunt Theresa Holtz and her uncle Matthew Murphy. She is survived by her husband, Gary Pittman, her daughter, Yvonne Bruflodt, her son Caleb Pittman, her mother, Peggy Murphy, her brother, Dominic Murphy, Jr., and many other family members and friends who loved her dearly.

Tina was a strong, opinionated, yet compassionate woman who was honest to a fault. You always knew exactly where you stood with her, because she wasn’t afraid to make her feelings known, both positive and otherwise. This is what made her so uniquely her and the woman that we all knew and loved so very much. Her strong will and fighting spirit are attributes shared with her mother, Peggy, who suffered the loss of Tina’s father at the age of 22. Watching the strength that it took for her mother to go on and raise two beautiful children as a single parent, built in her, an independence and self confidence that allowed her to persevere through all of life’s ups and downs.

Growing up with only one sibling, her brother Dominic, gave the two of them a closeness that was unshakable. Only Tina was allowed to say mean things to him, if any others tried, she would fight to the bitter end to protect him. The bond between sister and brother is unlike any other. They shared a special language that only the two of them could understand and whispered secrets meant for only each other’s ears. It was through her guidance that taught him and helped shape him into the man he is today, a good husband and a loving father with a quick wit and an old fashioned charm. She loved her brother so much. He was her everything.

Her aunt, Michelle Lee (Van Fossen), or Aunt Shelly as many of us know her, was an integral part of Tina’s growing up as well. Not many people have an aunt only four years older than them, and it was customary to call her that too, even when on the elementary school playground at recess time. The two were also neighbors having lived across the street from one another most of their lives. They were often forced to dress alike much of the time and were together so much that many thought they were sisters. In a way they were right, they were like sisters, blessed with a special closeness that only deepened as they got older and were ready to start families of their own.

In 1996, Tina welcomed her sweet baby girl, Yvonne, into this world and her life was forever changed by this tiny and precious gift. Yvonne was her pride and joy and inherited her mother’s tender heart and deep caring for others. In 2000, she met and married the love of her life, Gary, and welcomed their second child, Caleb, into this world in 2001. Caleb was the apple of his mother’s eye. She was so proud of both of her children and the loving people that they’ve grown to be. She was always quick to share in their successes and even quicker to lift them up in their defeat. Yvonne, Caleb, may your lives be a testament to hers, one that honors her memory by striving to become and achieve all that she envisioned for you.

The life that she and Gary shared was one built on trust, hard work, commitment, adoration and most importantly, love. Gary always made sure that she, as well as their children, were well provided for and never wanted for anything. As with any good marriage, it came with its joys and its hardships. During the good times they loved to spend time together outdoors, camping at Rainbow Falls, quad riding in the Dunes, fore-buying up at Capital Peak, and engaged in other recreational activities as a family. In times of struggle, they relied on one another for strength and comfort, both needing something from each other that only the two of them could give. Their marriage was a testament to us all, that we too may love another so deeply that there are no words.

Tina was a bit of a small town celebrity, evidenced by the many, many people who knew her as their favorite bartender at DJ Murphy’s, Bailey’s and for the past 9 years, Buzz’s Bar and Grill. The people that worked beside her each day and those that came to visit her regularly grew to become like a second family. For Tina, there was no distinction between friends and family. Her friends were her family and she was as devoted to them as they were to her. The shared laughs, the shared tears and the undying love are what made her everyone’s best friend and someone worth knowing. And Oak and the rest of the Hoak family, you adopted Tina as one of your own, loving her as a daughter, a sister and a friend and for that she was truly blessed and we are all eternally grateful.

The family wishes to thank all of those who cared for her and shared in her life. Services to honor and celebrate the life of Tina Marie Pittman (Murphy) will be held on Friday, September 25, 2015, at 12:00 p.m. at Mills and Mills Memorial Park located at 5725 Littlerock Road, SW, Tumwater, WA 98512. Flowers may be sent in her honor and all are encouraged to go online to http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Tina-Pittman&lc=7560&pid=175854419&mid=6597585 to sign the guest book, express your condolences and share loving memories, or Tina’isms with the family and each other.