Thomas Pitkin Obituary

Thomas Arthur Pitkin, age 87, a man of quick wit, deep integrity, and tireless service, passed away peacefully January 22, 2026, at his home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Born on January 3, 1939, in upstate New York, Tom grew up in a small resort town on Schroon Lake. As a child, he ventured into business with his brother, running a popcorn stand and selling bait & tackle to the summer visitors. Tom participated in all the activities the lake had to offer, such as racing cars on the frozen lake in the winter and waterskiing barefoot in the summer. He made his film debut as an extra when the major motion picture Marjorie Morningstar was filmed in town.

After graduating from high school, Tom attended various colleges and universities as he tried to figure out what he wanted to be when he grew up. He met Brenda and married in December 1962. Tom completed his MBA at SUNY Albany and began a career in retail, working at Sears and Denby's department stores. In 1978, he moved the family to Virginia and purchased a hardware store in Dale City with his brother - which grew into the beloved Pitkin's Ace Hardware. He grew the business, running it with a mix of old school business acumen, while being compassionate to his employees and community needs. It was normal to see the store cat laying across his desk as he was working. He had a big heart and helped many of his employees over the years. Tom also had a quick wit about him and would get a certain look when he was up to something – casually dropping a one-liner and walking away.

Tom was a pillar of the communities where he lived. Starting at age 16, Tom joined the Schroon Lake Fire Department. He continued in the Verdoy Fire Department in Latham, NY and in 1980, he joined the Buckhall Volunteer Fire Department in Manassas, Virginia, where he served as Chief for many years. Upon retirement, and as Tom was not one to sit idle, he volunteered with the American Red Cross when he and Brenda moved to New Bern, NC. He was an active member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks for 66 years and was elected Exalted Ruler of Elks Lodge No. 764 in New Bern. Tom and Brenda moved to Myrtle Beach where he volunteered with McLeod Health Carolina Forest and was honored as Volunteer of the Year. He enjoyed greeting people and helping them with directions. Some of his happiest moments were spent feeding the turtles and ducks at the edge of the pond in his backyard. He shared his life with many faithful dogs and quickly bonded with any dog nearby. As his health declined, some of his favorite visitors were those four-legged friends.

Tom will be deeply missed by his family. He is survived by his wife, Brenda; his four daughters, Jill (Lee), Kari (Damian), Sarah (Jason), and Amy (Richard); and ten grandchildren (Samantha, Lauren, Kaitlyn, Gigi, Tommy, Izzy, Mosby, CJ, Amanda and Mason). He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Ronald Pitkin.

A celebration of Tom's life will be held on February 1, 2026, 3:00 pm at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 801 11th Ave N, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.

Tom chose his final resting place to be near one of his favorite places – "the River House". His ashes will be interred at a later date at Saint James Episcopal Church of Cople Parish, 63 St James Ln, Montross, VA 22520.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Elks National Foundation (dedicated to Thomas Pitkin) https://www.elks.org/enf/OnlineGiving.cfm and St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 801 11th Ave N, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Thomas Arthur Pitkin, please visit our floral store.