Joseph B. Pitzen

CASSVILLE – Joseph Bernard “Joe Crow” Pitzen, of Cassville, passed away at his daughter’s home, on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, after a recent illness.

Joe was born on June 26, 1946, to Edward and Margaret (Richter) Pitzen.  He grew up in and around the Rockville area, where he spent the days and nights of his formative years sneaking warm beer, homemade wine, and hand-rolled cigarettes, while raising a little hell and having a lot of fun with his brothers, sisters, cousins, and life-long friends. No doubt that decisions made during the first half of his life caused a fair share of his mom’s gray hair, but they also produced hilarious and ‘hard-to-believe-they’re-still-alive’ stories that have been and will be told for years.  As he said many times, “I lived during the good old days when we had to make our own fun and nobody had a damn cell phone.  That’s not to say I’d tell my grandkids to do some of the things we did, but we sure had an alright time once in a while!”. 

Joe had two children with his former-wife, Barb, and, although their marriage ended, their friendship and concern for one another did not.  He worked in plastering and drywall for many years before being hired by the City of Lancaster Street Department, where he worked until his retirement.  After retiring, Joe moved to Cassville to be closer to his daughter and her family, who meant more to him than anything else. He rarely missed a sporting event or school function of ‘The Hoodlums’ (Mason, Hannah, and Sam), and his face in the crowd will be missed not only by his grandkids, but many of their friends; he was ‘Grandpa Joe’ to so many.  During the past 10 years in Cassville, Crow developed many new friendships and rekindled old ones.  He could be found almost daily at one of the local watering holes, where his barstool and shake-a-day were waiting, along with a diet coke, cranberry juice, Bud Light, or rusty water (depending on the day and time).  If he was lucky, he’d catch a few games of euchre, cribbage or dirty clubs with some of the other regulars, and was always ready to throw his money at pull tabs, raffles, sports pools, and the gambling machines.  He was truly one of the kindest, simplest, most humble and genuine men, and the world is better off having had him here.  He’s going to be missed so very much by all of those whose life he touched in one way or another.

Joe will be remembered by his daughter, Jodi (Chad) Infield; 3 grandchildren, Mason, Hannah, and Sam; siblings, James, John “Jack”, Diane (David) Splinter, Carol (Robert) Weber, and David (Emily) Pitzen; his former wife, Barb (Winkler) Thompson and her siblings; several cousins, nieces, and nephews; his “second family”, Krick Infield, Amy (Jim) McNett, Tara (Shane) Nix, Kristin (Tony Davis) Infield and their children; and many, many dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Nick; his parents, Ed and Margaret; his sister, Janet Timmerman; his in-laws, Burnell Timmerman, Sharon Pitzen, and Pauline Pitzen; and two special Infield men, Ron and Todd.

Joe wanted to be remembered with a celebration of his life, which will be held on Saturday, October 7, from 3pm-7pm at J&J’s Sandbar in Cassville.

Joe’s daughter would like to thank the staffs at Agrace Hospice Care, Grant Regional Health Center, and Martin Schwartz Funeral Home & Crematory in Cassville for their support, compassion, and professionalism during a very difficult time.

“Catch ya later.”

• Joe Crow