Obituaries

Marianne Rhoades Pittman

July 12th, 1930 – March 15th, 2025

Marianne Rhoades Pittman, age 94 of Dublin, Ohio, passed away on March 15, 2025, in her home. She was born on July 12, 1930, to Paul and Orpha (Benton) Rhoades, the youngest of four children.

On her fridge was the Hunter S. Thompson quote, “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming, “Wow, what a Ride!” This quote aptly captured her essence.

Marianne graduated from Astoria High School, Astoria, Illinois, and Manchester College (Indiana) with a B.S. in Secondary Education with an emphasis in home economics. As a teenager, she sang in a trio with two friends that performed at community events and even on the radio. While at Manchester, she had the opportunity to work on research around the development of rayon.

She married the late Robert “Bob” Pittman on July 24, 1955, in Astoria, Illinois. Together they built a life together and multiple homes that were filled with love. They have three children and four grandchildren by birth, Oralea Anne Pittman of Hilliard, Ohio; Paul Arthur Pittman (Julie Levenson) of Woodside, California, and their daughters, Allison and Catherine; and Rhonda Pittman Gingrich (Mark) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and their daughters, Sophia and Addison. Marianne and Bob’s family was enlarged and enriched by An and the late Hoa Tran, Vietnamese refugees who adopted them as their mother and father and gave them two more grandchildren, Huy Tran (Shama Patari) and Linda Lopez (Jorge), who then gave them five great-grandchildren: Arjun and Krish, and Lucas, Liliana, and Lania.

Marianne is survived by one sister-in-law, Elizabeth (Pittman) Gramm of Madison, Tennessee, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister, Nelda (Rhoades) Eikenberry, and her brothers, Benton and Robert “Bob” Rhoades and their spouses.

As a young woman, Marianne taught home economics in Illinois and Kansas. Marianne was active in the Church of the Brethren, holding various leadership positions at the local, district, and denominational level. While raising their family, Marianne and Bob lived in Champaign, Illinois, where they were members of the Champaign Church of the Brethren and Marianne served students at the University of Illinois as campus minister,
coordinated the International Hospitality Committee for the university, and volunteered with the Champaign/Urbana crisis hotline. Later in life she served as a pastor in Illinois and Virginia. For many years, she worked alongside her husband with the Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries where they served in many states directing the recovery work of volunteers. Her background in home economics and her love of cooking served her well as she managed administrative tasks and prepared meals for the volunteers. She and Bob served as trainers for other project directors and served as Co-Interim Directors of Brethren Disaster Ministries from January to June 1999. At the time of her death, she was a member of the Oak Grove Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Virginia, although while living in Astoria, Illinois, late in life she attended the Woodland Church of the Brethren.

She enjoyed travel, music, reading, playing games, cooking, teaching others to make things like sausage gravy and homemade noodles, preparing devotions for various events, and above all, spending time with her family.

Shaped by her deep and expansive faith, Marianne embodied servant leadership and the gift of hospitality. She always looked for ways to extend God’s perfect and unconditional love to others, even as she recognized that human love is often broken and imperfect and only partially reflects God’s love. She warmly welcomed family, friends, and strangers into her home and life. Those who knew her said she had a way of turning strangers into family. Her sense of adventure, strength and courage, wisdom and wit, compassion and care, generous and gracious spirit, and heart for peace and justice will be deeply missed, but will hopefully live on in those she leaves behind.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 21, at Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria, Illinois. Reverends Tim Harvey and Carol Elmore will officiate. Visitation will take place from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, and beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Woodland Cemetery, Astoria, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Brethren Disaster Ministries, 601 N. Main, P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776-0188 or Camp Emmanuel, 14999 Reservoir Road, Browning, IL 62624

Condolences

March 18th, 2025

I am so glad to have had the opportunity to know Marianne. Every time I was with her her warmth and care of others permeated the room. The joy she brought to others was clear. She will be missed by so many.

March 18th, 2025

Marianne was a very special person. We are so glad we got to know her. Her loving and caring personality will certainly be missed. With sincere sympathy, Art & Nancy

March 19th, 2025

The volunteers and staff of Brethren Disaster Ministries are so very grateful for the passion, energy, knowledge, dedication, and faith that both Marianne and Bob brought to the work of serving disaster survivors. They are forever a part of our ministry. May God's arms enfold you as you both mourn and celebrate your precious mother.

March 23rd, 2025

Our love and prayers to her family and friends .She was a wonderful woman of faith, through her church ,her brotherhood of the Church of the Brethren in her loving and caring and a woman of love .While we were serving at Woodland Church of the Brethren we came to love her and her beautiful stories of family .She was a inspiration to us all and will miss her and knowing she is with God . Love ,Greg and Vonna Beach

March 23rd, 2025

I just found out the Reverend Marianne Pittman passed away on March 15. She was a very influential pastor during my time at Virginia Tech. She was very compassionate and provided me with support. Her unique preaching style brought the Bible to life during her sermons. I do not know if I can explain how much she meant to me.
John and I had the pleasure of her assistance in performing our wedding ceremony.
She was 94 and lived a life full of adventure.
I am sad that she is no longer here on earth but I know she is watching over me and my family.