No headline

Earl W. ‘Snake’ Pitts, 92

United States Air Force (Ret) Col. Earl W. “Snake” Pitts, 92, passed away on April 23, 2018, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, surrounded by family.

Born on July 3, 1925, in Mesa, Colo., to Emory Frank Pitts and Rosanna Mabel Thompson, Earl was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Forrest; sister, Josephine Farley; and loving wife, Sandy.

Earl leaves behind daughters, Candy (Tim) Carstensen, Cindy (Terry) Lindquist, Carrie (Don) Grant; sister, Dorothy Fitzgerald; grandchildren, Brook (Brian) Weeks, Jennifer (Kim) Malar-Currie, SFC Elmer “Justin” (Jessica) Currie, Nicholas Grant and Christopher Grant; step grandchildren, Jessica Miller, Timothy Carstensen, Richard Carstensen, William Carstensen and Steve (Heather) Lindquist; great-grandchildren, Zachary Weeks, Madison Weeks, Paige Currie and Blake Currie; step-great-grandchildren, Liam Carstensen and Jaden Carstensen.

According to Earl, his love of planes began at age 4. Upon graduation from Sandpoint High School, he joined the United States Navy Aviation Program, studying and training for two years, and would have been allowed to graduate as a second lieutenant in the Marine Air Corps, had the end of WWII not shut down the demand for aviators. He was released to reserve status and mailed his honorable discharge paperwork.

Earl returned to Sandpoint and worked as a municipal fireman. There, he met and married Georgiana Conn, and during their 17 years together they raised three daughters. On days off, Earl would drive to Coeur d’Alene and take flight lessons from Gladys Buroker at Weeks Field. He earned his private and commercial licenses and a flight instructor rating. He taught NIJC students as part of an engineering course before moving to Coeur d’Alene, where he worked for the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department.

In 1949, Earl joined the USAF and began a career that filled his life with lots of adventure, a little danger, and yes, planes!

He married Sandy Kelton in 1965, and she accompanied him on many transfers between the U.S. and foreign air bases. His 34-year career as a fighter pilot included two tours in Vietnam, an assignment at the Pentagon and deployment in Iran. He retired to Albuquerque, N.M., where he earned a bachelor of science degree in aviation science and eventually began teaching aviation science to high school students. Earl also worked as a commercial flight instructor, a commercial glider pilot and instructor, and flew with the Civil Air Patrol on both search and rescue and border patrol missions. His work with the CAP continued with search and rescue, and counter drug missions, when he and Sandy moved to Mountain Home, Idaho, in 1997 to be closer to family. Earl was the first CAP glider instructor and glider check pilot in Idaho.

Earl loved the outdoors; hunting, fishing, golf and most of all, flying. During their 50 years of marriage, he and Sandy traveled to every state in the U.S. and over 40 foreign countries. They checked off everything on their bucket list.

By the end of Earl’s career he had been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with 20 oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.

A memorial service with full military honors will be held at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boise at a later date.

The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff at The Bridge at Garden Plaza and Hospice for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Schneidmiller Hospice House.

Visit Earl’s memorial and sign his online guestbook at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.