Edwin Pitstick

Edwin J. Pitstick, 89, of Ottawa, entered eternal life on May 1, 2026.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 20, from 3:00pm until 6:00pm at Ottawa Funeral Home. Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, May 21, at 10:30am at St. Columba Church. Burial will follow in St. Columba Cemetery.

"Ed" or "Eddie" was the youngest of 16 children, born to Henry and Ida (Funsfinn). He had 7 brothers: Peter, Larry, Vincent, Hubert, Richard, Edmund, and Bernard; and 8 sisters: Rose Bulfer, Mae Alexander, Rita Pitstick, Lottie Stallings, Paula Chapple, Marjorie Nelson, Marilyn Hanusik, and Zita Alexander, all deceased.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Bette Lu (Hentrich), and 4 children: Colette (Mike) Stremlau, Chris Watson, Cheri Pitstick (Eric Reynolds), and Eric Pitstick; 4 grandchildren: Elissa (John) Roos, Sara (Tim) Auran, Kelly Watson, and Connor Watson; and 3 great-grandchildren: Carter Roos, Noah and Lily Auran, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Eddie grew up on a farm north of Ottawa. After attending one year at Marquette High School, he was needed to work full time at Pitstick Dairy, the family business.

As a young man, he joined the Marine Corps Reserves. He trained as a flame thrower at Camp LeJeune, NC, and Camp Pendleton, CA.

In 1962, Pitstick Dairy Lake opened, and he became part owner and manager of the beach. It proved to be a popular place for thousands of visitors to enjoy swimming and picnics.

Eddie was a self-made man and always loved a challenge. He believed in hard work and strove to accomplish something every day. His biggest project was building the Pitstick Pavilion. For over 50 years, this banquet hall provided services for weddings, parties, meetings, and various other events.

Eddie's greatest desire was to make others happy. He derived satisfaction in knowing his business brought joy to the people he served. While work was his priority, in rare hours of leisure, he enjoyed cruising down the Illinois River in his boat.

In summary, Eddie lived his life to the fullest and in exactly the way he wanted to live. Throughout his entire life, he held a strong conviction of faith, hard work, and independence.

His memberships included St. Columba Church, the Knights of Columbus, and the Starved Rock Yacht Club.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Ottawa Friendship Village.