Richard E. Pitts

Richard E. Pitts, 94, of Lower Macungie Township, passed away on August 28, 2025 at the Inpatient Hospice Unit, Lehigh Valley Hospital, 17th and Chew Sts., Allentown, PA. He was the loving husband of the late Marga K. (Meyer) Pitts. They were married for 66 years until her passing. Born in Gastonia, NC, Richard was the son of the late James C. and Lois L. (Dameron) Pitts. He was a 1953 graduate of BSIE North Carolina State University, received his graduate degree in communications engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in1959, and obtained his MBA from Xavier University in 1960. Richard served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1953-1955, and was stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Richard retired in1985 from AT&T in Washington, D.C. as Vice-President of Network Operations. Prior to that, he was VP Operations, AT&T International in Basking Ridge, NJ (1979-1983); VP Marketing, AT&T Business in Basking Ridge, NJ (1978-1979); VP and General Manager, AT&T Long Lines, Washington, D.C. (1975-1978); Chief Engineer, Central Region, AT&T Long Lines, Chicago, IL (1973-1975); Area Plant Manager, Central Region, AT&T Long Lines, Chicago, IL (1971-1973); Chief Engineer, Western Area, AT&T Long Lines, San Francisco, CA (1969-1971); and Director, Military Communications, Mountain Bell, Colorado Springs, CO (1967-1969). Additionally, Richard served as President of AT&T Iran in 1971; Director of Gold Star Semi-Conductor, LTD, Seoul Korea from 1980-1983; Director of AT&T Ireland from 1982-1984; Director of Southland Energy Corp., Tulsa, OK from 1985-1988; and President of Dinavest North America, McLean, VA from 1985-1990. Although Richard had many professional accomplishments, his greatest achievement was all the love he gave to his family and to his God, and all the love he received in return. He loved being a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was a man of immense intelligence, integrity, compassion, decency, patriotism, kindness, and most of all, love. He will be forever missed. Survivors: Daughters - Paulena Meyer of Poolesville, MD and Sandra VanBruggen of Lebanon, N.J. Grandchildren - Lauren (Keith) Toro, Michael Doherty, and Christian VanBruggen. Great-grandchildren - Quinn Kassick and Lucas Toro. He was preceded in death by daughter Susan Doherty and son-in-law Douglas VanBruggen. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Allentown. Services will be private, at the request of the family. In lieu of flowers, a tree may be planted in his memory through: alivingtribute.org.