Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Loudon, Tenn., honoring James Charles Pittman, 76, of Loudon, Tenn., former Mississippi State Senator and staff member to former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who died on Tuesday, Aug. 27, in Loudon, Tenn. Burial followed in Loudon County Memorial Gardens in Lenoir City, Tenn. The Rev. Amy Morehous officiated. The family received friends from noon until service time on Saturday, Sept. 7, in the Parish Hall of the church.
Charles was born on July 6, 1948, at Knoxville’s St. Mary’s Hospital. He lived 64 years in Mississippi and was the son of the late Louise Horton and the late John Timothy Pittman of Clarksdale. Having a great musical gift and love of music, in 1989, he founded the “MS Singing Senators” performing at the Mississippi State Capitol Building; Mississippi’s New York and Washington, D.C. Picnics; the Neshoba County Fair and many radio media outlets. Charles was very honored to have been elected to represent Grenada, Yalobusha and Tallahatchie counties in the Mississippi State Senate at age 31.
As a Senator and later as a staffer to Gov. Haley Barbour, Charles’ door was always open to assist citizens. Having a servant’s heart, he always approached his public service as one of personal honor and duty. Among many awards Charles received were Mississippi State Senate’s Distinguished Service Award for Public Service in 1997 and Governor Barbour’s Official Proclamation of Dec. 14, 2011, as “Charles Pittman Day in the State of Mississippi,” on his retiring. Charles was a member of The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Loudon, Tenn., The Order of the First Families of Mississippi, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Lt. General John C. Pemberton Camp and The Friends of Raymond (Miss.) Civil War Preservation Group.
In addition to his parents, his sister and brother-in-law, Patricia Pittman and Mike Simpson, and maternal grandmother, Sallie Hardin Horton, whom he adored, preceded Charles in death.
Survivors include, his wife and love of his life, Kathy Hannan Pittman; daughter, Michelle Cox; granddaughters, Amy Cox and Claire Cox, both of Tennessee; daughter, Shauna Sullins, son-in-law, David Sullins, grandson, Austin, and great grandson, Kai David Sullins, all of Utah. Charles’ grandchildren brought him much joy.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA), 4101 W. Green Oaks, Suite 305-149, Arlington, TX 76016, or online https://chasa.org
Online condolences can be expressed to the family at www.mcgillclick.com
McGill Click Funerals & Cremations in Loudon, Tenn., was in charge of arrangements.
