Daniel Wayne Pitrucha, Sr

Daniel Wayne Pitrucha, Sr., 74, of Turnersville, passed away on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at Providence Hospital after a brief and sudden illness.

Service Information:

There will be a celebration of Dan’s life on Saturday August 22 at 11:00 o’clock in the morning at Leaning Bluff Lodge at Barefoot’s Camp on the Colorado River. To truly celebrate Dan’s life the family request casual attire, second hand preferred. Old blue jeans, vintage pearl snap shirts, converse shoes, and old dirty boots are suggested. Please join us for a meal that will immediately follow. We want to be with those who knew and loved him in the special place where our family has been making memories for eighty years.In lieu of flowers donations can be made in to the Coryell Rifle and Pistol Club, PO Box 115, Gatesville, TX or the Gatesville Boys and Girls Club, 1706 E Main, Gatesville, TX 76528.

Daniel was born May 30, 1946 in Temple, Bell County, Texas to Agnes and Emil Pitrucha. He was the third of five children.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Agnes Nally Pitrucha, father, Emil Pitrucha Sr., and by his brother, Mike Pitrucha.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 55 years, Mary Ann (Castro) Pitrucha; daughter, Brendan Williams; son, Daniel Wayne Pitrucha, JR, and daughter, Corinna Bilbrey and husband, Ben Bilbrey; grandchildren, Elizabeth Bilbrey McMellon, Michael Dylan Pena, Bryce Bilbrey, Krishna Pena Vasquez, Brittany Pitrucha Grissom, Ashley Pitrucha, Andrew Waite, Madison Pena, Abigail Pitrucha-Pena, Lucy Casbeer and great-grandchildren, Tanner Dill, Brodee, Cordyn, and Kynli McMellon and Kendall Vasquez. Daniel is also survived by brother, Emil Pitrucha, JR. and wife, Alma of Copperas Cove, sister, Charlotte Snow of Lampasas and sister, Cathy Raymond and husband Bruce of Killeen.

Daniel attended Killeen Schools. In 1963 he started his career in the auto body repair business at Connell Chevy in Killeen. Over the course of his life Dan repaired many cars and gained a reputation as a highly skilled repairman. He retired just a few years ago having spent 60 years in the industry.

Daniel relocated his family to the mountains of Montana where they spent many happy years hiking, hunting, fishing and enjoying the great outdoors. The memories the family will treasure the most are the memories of fishing, hunting and camping trips enjoyed together.

Having moved back to Texas in 1987 he treasured the time spent with the family that he missed during the years in Montana.

Daniel was a history buff,an avid reader. At times in his life Dan was also a seeker of antique bottles and arrowheads, a prankster in his youth, a listener of old blues and folk music, a consumer of Ranier Beer and Lucky Strikes and a lover of a good bargain from garage and estate sales. He was a firearm collector, a reloader and gunsmith, and longtime member of his local gun club.

Even though he was a man of few words, his actions were able to speak volumes. In both his disappointment and his devotion his love was always present. He will be missed dearly by family and friends alike.