Thelma Davis Pittman

On February 17, 2026, on a beautiful, sunny Carolina Blue morning, Thelma Davis Pittman, 96, of Davis, NC, passed away peacefully. A window in her UNC Memorial Hospital room in Chapel Hill overlooked the UNC campus, a place she loved dearly. As she listened to the music of Chopin and Mozart, she was told by her family how much she was loved, cherished, and appreciated.

Thelma was born September 15, 1929, in the first Pond house at Davis to Delia Pond Davis and Alvin Davis. She took great pride in tracing her ancestry. On her father’s side she was in the eighth generation of Davises who first settled in Davis in the early 1700s. Her lineage on her mother’s side came from a long line of New England sea captains whose primary home port lied along the Connecticut seaside. She lived her entire life in Davis until her health declined in her late 80s when she went to live with her son in Durham.

She attended Davis Elementary School, then going to Smyrna School in the 7th grade. She graduated as salutatorian from Smyrna High School in 1945 in the last 11th grade class in Carteret County. Then she completed a business course at Charles S. Wallace High School in Morehead City.

Thelma married Elbert Pittman from Stacy in 1948. He was a US Navy World War II veteran. Her family was most important to her. She enjoyed most being a mother of three children and “Memama” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She started her career in the Carteret County Clerk of Superior Court office with clerks D. B. Willis and later A. H. James. In time she became a Deputy and then Assistant Clerk. She left the office in 1962 to become a full-time homemaker. However, in 1963 she was again in the workplace, this time at First Citizens Bank & Trust Company in Beaufort. After 20 years she became branch manager in Smyrna for 10 more years. Following the death of her husband she took a job as Postmaster Relief at Davis Post Office for 11 years, until she turned 80.

She was a lifetime member of First Davis Baptist Church, holding many offices through the years. She served on the Carteret County Library Board, Sea Level Hospital Board and was precinct chairman of the Democratic Party in Davis. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution with 5 documented American Patriot ancestors, including one that participated in tossing the tea in Boston Harbor in 1773. Genealogy was a passion for her and through her efforts she was able to add 2 additional patriots to the American Patriot Index.

A Tar Heel fan, she watched all six of UNC's Men's college basketball championship games on live national television.

Thelma loved to sew and made outfits and quilts for her family. She made sure her grandchildren had an individual memory quilt when they left for college.

She is survived by her children, Rose Marie Gillikin (Joe Sitter) of Chapel Hill, Elbert Wayne Pittman (Harriet) of Davis, and Dr. Frank Pittman (Dr. Gilbert Flores) of Durham; her grandchildren, Elizabeth Gillikin Whitworth (Scott) of Pittsboro, Elbert Wayne Pittman, Jr. (Emily) of Sea Level, Carolyn Gillikin Roach (Mike) of Wake Forest and William Alvin Pittman (Krystal) of Beaufort; her great-grandchildren, Chloe, Alexa, Abby, Charlie Bruce, Hank, June; and one great-great-grandchild, Adelyn.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son-in-law, Bruce Gillikin; her sister, Margaret, and Margaret’s husband Jack Gaskill.

A celebration of life service will be announced at a later time. Her remains will be laid to rest privately alongside her husband and many of her ancestors and loved ones in Oscar Davis Memorial Cemetery in Davis.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.