Arnold Hey Pittman's Obituary
Arnold Hey Pittman, 67, died on May 10 in Memphis, Tennessee after a prolonged illness. Arnold was born on January 30, 1945 and grew up in Milan, Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elizabeth Hey Pittman, and by his father, William Lamar Pittman. He is survived by his wife, Deborah Nichol Pittman, originally of Nashville, whom he married in 1974, his daughter, Joy-Elizabeth Nichol Pittman, and his brother William Lamar Pittman, Jr. of Milan. Arnold graduated from Milan High School and received his B.A. from Rhodes College (formerly named Southwestern at Memphis) in 1967. During his college years he was team captain of the Rhodes golf team. The team won College Athletic Conferences titles in 1964 and 1967. He was also inducted into Rhodes’ Athletic Hall of Fame. While at Rhodes, he was president of Interfraternity Council and president of ATO fraternity. He was tapped for Omicron Delta Kappa, an honor society based on leadership and service. After graduating from college, he joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Memphis. He was vice-president of marketing at this not-for-profit company until 1980, when he founded Pittman and Associates, an employee benefits firm. Pittman and Associates grew to become one of the region’s most successful health insurance claims administrators. In 1974, he was an original partner in the Half Shell Restaurant, and he has continued as an active investor over the last 38 years. Arnold and his wife have resided in Memphis for over forty years, and have been members of Idlewild Presbyterian Church since 1974. Arnie had a lifelong love of golf and was an avid sportsman and hunter throughout the West Tennessee region. When his daughter’s sport became horse show competition, he traveled constantly with her during her teenage years throughout the South, happily functioning as the attentive groom for her horses. He also was president of the West Tennessee Hunter Jumper Association for many years. He has been a board member of the James Hyter Scholarship Foundation since its inception. He is predeceased by his grandparents. His paternal grandparents were Cecil Lee Pittman and Minnie Elizabeth McLean Pittman of Cades, TN. His maternal Grandparents were Arnold Fredrick Hey and Ollye Melissa Murphree Hey of Hughes, Arkansas. He is survived by his nieces, Meghan Federico of New Orleans, Lisa Pittman Cleary of Hendersonville, TN and Amy Nichol Wood of Knoxville, TN, and his nephews, Matthew William Wood III of Chattanooga, TN; Michael Pittman of Cleveland, TN and Michael Federico of New Orleans, LA. Memorial Service to be held on Monday, May 14, at Idlewild Presbyterian Church at 2:00 P.M. preceded by visitation at 1:00 P.M. Private graveside service to be held in the morning of May 14 at Memorial Park Cemetery. Please phone Idlewild Presbyterian Church at 901-726-4681 for more information. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials may be sent to Idlewild Presbyterian Church or Rhodes College. Funeral arrangments have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, (901)767-8930, “Behind the Stone Wall”.
What’s your fondest memory of Arnold?
What’s a lesson you learned from Arnold?
Share a story where Arnold's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Arnold you’ll never forget.
How did Arnold make you smile?