GLENBURN – Phillipa E. (Davies) Pitula, 94, passed away at 6:20 a.m. Friday, Dec. 31, 2010, with her loving family at her side. Phillipa was born Feb. 2, 1916, in Mynachlogddu, Wales, Great Britain, to Sarah and Llanfair Davies. Llanfair was the vicar at the parish of Llanhowell, where his wife, Sarah, was the church organist. Phillipa was one of seven children: sisters, Nan, Cassie, Nestine, Beryl, Mary; and her brother, Glynn. Phillipa studied nursing and earned her registered nurse’s degree at Cardiff Royal Infirmary, Cardiff, Wales. During World War II, Phillipa served in the Royal Medical Corps, where she met and later tended to her future husband, Peter Pitula, a sergeant in the U.S. Army from Elizabeth, N.J., who was stationed in Wales in preparation for the D-Day invasion of Europe. One year after the war ended, Phillipa came to the United States to wed Peter and they started their life together in a four-family home on Allen Street in Elizabeth, N.J., owned by Peter’s dad. There they were blessed with three children, Pamela, Peter and Phillip, and in need of more room, purchased their own single family home on Parker Road. After her children were all in school Phillipa resumed her nursing career at Elizabeth General Hospital, and became the supervisor of nurses on the maternity ward. After retirement Phillipa and Peter moved to Glenburn in 1985 into a log home in the woods that Phillipa often spoke of doing someday. This would be their home until Peter’s passing in 2000, with Phillipa then moving in with her daughter, Pamela, in 2001. Phillipa was always a faithful Episcopalian and an active member of St. John’s, Elizabeth, N.J., and later St. John’s, Bangor. In addition to her parents, siblings and husband, she was predeceased by her grandson, Geoffrey Phillip Pitula. Phillipa is survived by her daughter, Pamela J. Blansit and her husband, Timothy, of Glenburn and their children, Leif C. Eide, Jon-Erik Eide and wife, Ellen, Jay Blansit and wife, Bridget, and Michelle Blansit and her partner, Mike; Phillipa’s sons, Peter K. Pitula Sr. and his wife, Cheryl, of Glenburn and their children, Kyna Pitula and Peter K. Pitula Jr. and wife, Ashanti; and Phillip G. Pitula and his wife, Kimberly, of Winterport and their children, Jenna Clisham and husband, John, and Shannon Binekey and husband, Mike; and great-grandchildren, Lincoln, Nolan, Cooper and Madeline Eide, Foster, Porter and Tavern Blansit, Kaysen and Arianna Pitula, Chloe Clisham, and Ethan and Gabriel Binekey. A memorial service will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 225 French St., Bangor, with the Rev. Marguerite A.H. Steadman, rector, officiating. There will be a reception immediately after the service in the church undercroft. Those who wish to remember Phillipa in a special way may make gifts in her memory to Hospice of Eastern Maine, 885 Union St., Suite 220, Bangor, ME 04401. A service of Brookings-Smith, Bangor.
PHILLIPA (DAVIES) PITULA
