James E. Pittenger

James E. Pittenger was born January 20, 1932 in East Liverpool, OH to Wilbur and Lois Pittenger. He was active in the Boy Scouts, gymnastics and swimming while in high school. Jim graduated from East Liverpool High School in 1949 and then went on to college where he earned a degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio University (Athens, Ohio) in 1954. He was a member of ROTC and after graduation Jim was fortunate to be called to duty with the Air Force Academy Construction agency in Colorado Springs. He met his wife, Barbara Gail Stiles while in college and they were married December 20th, 1954 and moved to Colorado Springs where Jim was stationed for two years working on the academy. He then was hired by a private oil company in Houston Texas and four years later he and his family returned to Colorado where Jim worked for Martin Marietta in the Engineering Department. In 1969, Jim enrolled in the University of Denver Law School and later moved to Boston to complete his law degree as a Patent Attorney. He worked in the Patent Office in the Washington DC area for 2 years and then returned to Colorado to work for a private law firm. Within 5 years, he started his own firm with 3 other partners in the area of Intellectual Property Law. He retired in December, 2006 after having worked for 4 years for Dorr, Carson & Birney, PC as a consultant. Jim's hobbies included scuba diving, flying small planes, exercising, golf, football, classical music and dabbling in the stock market. He and Gail enjoyed traveling in their R.V. throughout the United States with their two 'Westies'. They also traveled around the world including trips to Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Canada and Mexico.. Jim was a member of Rotary International and was a Mason. Jim passed away peacefully in his sleep December 5, 2007 from complications of ALS. He had been officially diagnosed with ALS in January of this year. Jim is survived by his wife Gail of 53 years and his children Scott (Lyn) Pittenger and Cynthia (Dan) Scott. He has two grandchildren '"" Brian and Kari Pittenger. He is also survived by his sister Marian (Jack) Hales of East Liverpool, Ohio. He was uncle to Becky (Larry) Motchenbaugh of Aurora, and John A Hales of East Liverpool, and Great uncle to Ryan (Anna) Lack of Dallas, Texas, and Cory (Rachel) Lack of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is a Great Great Uncle to Devon Lack, whom he was able to meet last Christmas. Memorial donations may be sent to the ALS Division of Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3300 E Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85718 (www.als.mdausa.org).