Donald Arden Pittenger

Donald Arden Pittenger, 77, of Reston, Virginia, died on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Born in Portsmouth, Ohio on March 27, 1949, he was the son of the late Arden and Elizabeth Rickabaugh Pittenger.

Don grew up in Wellston, Ohio and graduated from Wellston High School in 1967. He attended Ohio University graduating with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He played the trumpet and was an original member of the Ohio University 110 Marching Men. Don earned a Master of Engineering degree from Texas A&M University in 1973 and a Master of Science degree from Marshall University in Safety Management in 1987.

He began his federal career in 1971 as a Safety Engineer Intern at the U.S. Army Materiel Command’s Red River Army Depot near Texarkana, TX. In 1978, he was selected as the Safety Director for the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range located in southern New Mexico. In 1981, Don was selected as the Principal Safety Engineer for Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington D.C. In 1998, he was selected for the position of Chief of Safety for the U.S. Army Materiel Command in Fort Belvoir, VA, and served in this role until 2006. Lastly, he served as the Director of the Office of Safety Systems for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Washington, D.C. and retired January 1, 2010.

Don was a life-long learner who enjoyed challenging his mind with board games, card games, and puzzles. He loved watching all sports especially when rooting for his favorite Ohio sports teams or against their rivals. After retiring, he spent a lot of time conducting genealogical research and documenting his findings.

Don was predeceased by his wife, Jane Bohannon Pittenger; brother, Dean Pittenger; nephew, Edward Falencki III; and grandson William Sturgeon. He is survived by his sisters, Ann Lomax (Francis) of San Antonio, Texas, Catherine Falencki (Edward) of Crestwood, Kentucky; sister-in-law, Pam Pittenger of Wellston, Ohio; brother-in-law, Ray Bohannon of Ashland, Virginia; three children, Michael Atkinson of Centreville, Virginia, Elizabeth Sturgeon of Sterling, Virginia and Ellen Pittenger of Richmond, Virginia. Two granddaughters, Mia Sturgeon and Laina Darter; as well as nephew, Brad Pittenger; and nieces Angela Johnston, Erica Spelman, Kellee Pittenger and Kristen Shaver.

The funeral service will be held Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 11:00 at the Browning-Duffer Funeral Home in Keysville, Virginia with the burial following at Lakeview Cemetery in Victoria, Virgina. Following the burial, family and friends are invited to gather at The Inn at Blackstone in Blackstone, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org). The Browning-Duffer Funeral Home in Keysville, VA is in charge of arrangements.