Hortense Pittman, age 94, of Celina, Texas, passed away August 26, 2020. Hortense was born February 12, 1926, in Pilot Point, Texas, to Roy Jackson and Thelma (Bradford) Ellison. She married William Fredrick Pope on September 30, 1942, who preceded her in death on May 10, 1965. She married Jessie Ray Pittman on December 3, 1966, in San Antonio, Texas.
Hortense was an exceptional woman and lived a remarkable life. As a young woman, she baked cakes and pies for the family store in Celina, Texas while honing her skills as a seamstress. She eventually sewed costumes for the Dallas Ballet and dresses for prominent women in Dallas. Many years later, Ray gave her an African violet as a present and she developed it into a flourishing business that eventually took her around the globe achieving numerous awards and speaking engagements as a world-renowned hybridizer. She was the president of the National African Violet Society and the highlight of her 35 years in growing violets was the hybridizing of the first yellow African violet. Her other interests included the Celina Inter Se Club, which she enjoyed attending with her sister Mary Rue and her daughter Carolyn. She loved to entertain and is well-known for her amazing hospitality and delectable meals. Any other time she had would have spent reading or traveling. She has traveled across Europe and South America but her favorite trip was to South Africa with the highlight being the animal viewing safari.
Her family will remember her gentle and loving spirit that taught and modeled profound love and commitment to family. She and Ray began their relationship in the second half of life and often reflected how they were the luckiest people on earth to have each other. The apple of her eye was her only daughter, Carolyn Pope Welch, however, Hortense loved her grandchildren, family, and friends with extraordinary passion and commitment. She had unparalleled work ethic and drive and spoke encouragement and life to everyone she met. She was truly a gracious, courageous, and inspiring woman. We will miss her and rejoice that she is now in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
She is survived by her step-daughter, Karen Hurley; grandchildren, William Kubicek, Karol Johnson and husband, Dean, Karla Descoteau and husband, David, Mindy Koehne and husband, Jason, Stacie Pittman, and David Hurley; great-grandchildren, Jaden Patterson, Bradford, Donelle, Mikah, Emily, Katlyn, and Justin Johnson, Easton Descoteau, and Evan and Ashley Koehne.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jessie Ray Pittman, daughter, Carolyn Welch, and step-son, Steve Pittman.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 4, 2020, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel, 109 S. Oklahoma St., Celina, Texas, 75009. The family will receive friends during a visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow the service at Cottage Hill Cemetery in Celina.
Facebook live stream for service:
https://www.facebook.com/Turrentine-Jackson-MorrowCelina-648722261904737/