Helen Pituch

Helen Margaret Pituch, age 99, passed away Friday, December 22, 2017 in Kalamazoo. Helen was born February 23, 1918 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Loyola "Lyle" and Alice (Byington) Moreland. She was the third child and first girl of a family of nine children, and was proud of graduating from St. Augustine High School. Helen met her husband Walter J. "Wally" Pituch, a U.S. Army Sergeant at a USO dance at Ft. Custer and on July 20, 1943, they were married. After the war, they moved to Chicago and built their first home in Bellwood, IL. In 1959, to be closer to family they moved to Paw Paw for 10 years and in 1968, they refurbished a home on Eagle Lake and resided there before moving to Florida for 10 years. They eventually returned to the SW Michigan area to be closer to family again. Helen has had many interesting jobs in her life: assembly line worker, telephone operator, hospital receptionist, grocery store checkout girl, and women's clothing salesperson. She especially enjoyed golfing, traveling, card playing with family, and her part time job at Wagner's Apparel. Helen was a fan of the Detroit Tigers, University of Michigan Basketball and Duke Basketball where her nephew Coach K has had lots of success. She enjoyed good health for over 90 years, and until 2013 was walking 2-3 miles per day and playing golf once a week. The most important part of Helen's life was her family and spending special times with all of them. Surviving are her two children Kathleen Bolinger of Kentwood, MI and Ken (Mary) Pituch of Dexter, MI; two grandsons Timothy (Eugenia) Pituch and Jeffrey Pituch; three sisters Elizabeth "Bette" Maloney, Jean Klingel, Kathleen "Kitty" Hatridge; and many nieces and nephews. Helen was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Maynard Moreland, Donald Moreland, Edwin Moreland, William Moreland and Ruth Mary Balge. The family will receive friends at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Chapel, 411 E. Centre Avenue from 5:00 to 7:00PM on Thursday, January 4th, where a prayer service will conclude the evening at 7:00PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00AM on Friday, January 5th at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church (1150 W. Centre Ave.) Immediately following the service friends are invited to join the family in Marion Hall for a time of food and fellowship. Interment will be in Ft. Custer National Cemetery on Friday at 2:30PM. Memorials in Helen's memory may be directed to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan or to Heritage Community.