In Memoriam: Laysel W. Pitts

Obituary:

Bloomfield -- Laysel W. Pitts, 89, of Bloomfield, died at 5:30 a.m., Saturday, May 11, 2002 at his home.

He was born Feb. 3, 1913 near Norwich, a son of the late John and Margaret Wortman Pitts. He was a retired carpenter and was known for his horse drawn circus calliope. He was a 65-year member of the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church, a member since 1945 of the Circus Fans of America and a long time member of the Carpenter's Union.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Florence Moore Pitts, whom he married Sept. 20, 1936 and who died Dec. 26, 1995; three sisters, Mary Wilson, Loraine Penn and Emma Pitts; and one brother, Earl Pitts.

He is survived by his daughter, Carole (David) Blackstone; and grandchildren, Michele and Randy Corder; and Michael and Mindy Blackstone; and three step-great grandchildren, all of New Concord.

Visitation will be Monday, May 13, 2002 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mock-Miller Funeral Home, 63 W. Main St., New Concord. Services will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 14, 2002 at the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church with Rev. Martin Radcliff officiating.

Burial will be in Bloomfield Cemetery.

Eulogy/Sermon

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say,

I have no pleasure in them;

(Ecclesiastes 12:1, KJV).

This might seem like a very unusual text for the funeral of a man who reached the age of 89. Laysel was well, well past the days of his youth! Yet I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to use this text for Laysel's funeral, and I couldn't get it out of my mind. I think this text is appropriate precisely because Laysel DID remember his Creator in the days of his youth. And because he did, he never lost the joy of childhood, even when the evil days came, and when the years drew nigh. Even though he saw considerable hardship in his life, he never lost his pleasure in life.

Laysel told me of his upbringing, of the influence of his godly parents, of the nurture of the church, and of the reinforcement he received in the faith from his school teachers. Laysel put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ at a young age, and never departed from that faith. I believe that God gave Laysel a very special gift: although Laysel did indeed grow up and take his place as a productive and responsible adult, he always kept the wonder of childhood and was able to see and enjoy the little pleasures of life, right up to the very end. Furthermore, he was able to spread that joy to others. One person I spoke with yesterday at the visitation said that Laysel went through life leaving "happy tracks" everywhere he went!

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that when he became a man he put away childish things. Laysel did this as well, putting away toys for tools as he became a very skilled carpenter who took great pride in his work. He told me often of the projects he had been a part of. He seemed most proud, though, of the Norwich Presbyterian Church. He could build just about anything. He built a wonderful calliope, even though he himself didn't know the first note of music, and he built the wagon which carried it.

Anyone who knew Laysel for very long soon learned of his love for the circus. He had an enthusiasm for it that few sports fans can equal. He was a member of the Circus Fans Association of America for many years, and never missed a performance of any circus that came anywhere near here! He made friends with many of the performers and was quick to tell all who would listen that the stereotype of circus performers as immoral people was absolutely false. The circus was good, clean entertainment which showcases some remarkable talent, talent which Laysel appreciated greatly.

One reason why Laysel loved the circus was that he loved animals. The circus animals, especially the elephants, fascinated him. A few years ago he had a Christmas card made up of a picture of him with an elephant, wishing us a trunkfull of blessings! He had two beautiful Belgian horses, Mack and Dolly, who mowed his pastures and pulled his calliope. He took them and the calliope to parades all around this area.

I knew Laysel best, though, in his capacity as an elder of the Bloomfield United Presbyterian Church. We worked together on the Session for three years, and I came to appreciate his wisdom and looked forward to hearing him share his insights in our meetings. He was always eager to help with serving communion to the shut-ins, and in many other ways worked to meet the spiritual and temporal needs of those around him.

This sermon wouldn't be complete, however, if I didn't mention Laysel's wife of over 59 years, Florence. By the time I came to this church, Florence's health had declined and she was unable to get around and accompany him in all his activities. But in her own way, she was just as full of life as he. I remember my times of visiting her when Laysel was out. If he were late coming back, she'd say "He must have found someone to talk to." It's been over six years since she left us, and I can just imagine the first thing she'll say to Laysel is "Who did you find to talk to this time?"

Why remember your Creator in the days of your youth? So that you can age as gracefully as Laysel did! The bad times that inevitably come in life never got him down, and even in old age he had lots of pleasure in his life. In fact, he enjoyed life so much that he told me a couple of months ago that he wanted to stay around for a while longer rather than go to be with the Lord, even if that meant staying in this body of suffering for a while longer. That's a real testimony to the Lord's goodness!

We thank God for Laysel and all that he has meant to us!

Laysel and Florence's stone in the Bloomfield Cemetery. They lie beside their son Kenneth, who died shortly after birth