Russell Pitts, son of the late Henry and Mamie Pitts, was born on April 3, 1926 in Halifax County, North Carolina. He departed this life on Sunday, January 8, 2006 after a lengthy illness. Russell was educated in the North Carolina Public School System. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served until receiving an honorable discharge in 1946. He came to Baltimore in 1949 and worked faithfully at Bethlehem Steel for thirty-five years. After his retirement, Russell was a Courtesty Driver for The Food Depot on Belair Road. Russell Pitts and Clementine Green were married on April 9, and have enjoyed forty-eight years of marriage. He accepted Christ as his personal Savior and was baptized at Grace Baptist Church in 1970. He served faithfully as an usher at Grace Baptist Church for twenty-four years. We could always count on ''Mr. Russ'' to provide entertainment during the many Sunday dinners hosted by him and Mrs. Pitts. He always had stories and jokes to tell and would often play a musical selection on his favorable instrument, the harmonica. Mr. Russ will be greatly missed but our memories of him will forever live in our hearts and minds. He leaves to cherish his memory: a devoted wife, Clementine Pitts; loving children, Gloria, Floyd, Raymond, Archie , Franklin, Rosalind, and one ''special daughter'' Rev. Shon Adkins; fourteen grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; four brothers, William, Jeff, Lacey and Nello three brothers Henry, Richard and James preceded him in death; two sisters, Annie Mae and Lizzie two sisters, Anna and Mamie preceded him in death; a devoted mother-in-law, Winnie Green; brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, daughter-in-law, sons-in-law and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.