Barbara Schoonover Pittman

Barbara Schoonover Pittman

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Barbara Schoonover Pittman, 87, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2023, at St. Catherine’s Village, Marion Hall in Madison, Miss. 

Barbara was born in 1935, in Oklahoma City, the third of four daughters born to Lindley D. and Helen Holaday Schoonover. 

She grew up in Louise, Miss. She graduated from Mississippi State College for Women before earning a Master of Science degree from Florida State University and an Educational Specialist degree from Mississippi State University. 

She is survived by her son, Harrison Victor Pittman, III and daughter, Laura Allison Pittman, both of Madison County as well as two sisters: Mrs. Joan (Benoit) Holloway and Mrs. Madge (Jim) Fletcher; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

She met her husband of over fifty years, Dr. Harrison V. Pittman, Jr., in Korea, where he was serving in the Army and she was Program Director for The American Red Cross. They were married in 1962 and lived most of their adult life in Yazoo City. He preceded her in death in 2015. She is also preceded in death by her sister, Lynne Schoonover Harris (John Ed).  Barbara was an active volunteer with several organizations including- Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, American and Yazoo County Red Cross, Mississippi YWCA, Yazoo Newcomers Club, Yazoo Art Association, Garden Club and Daughters of the American Revolution. She served twelve years as a National Board Member of the YWCA of the USA. In addition, she was involved in summer camp programs at Camp Desoto, Camp Burgess Glen and Camp Rockbrook. 

She began her career in Education, starting as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Florida State University. She taught at Yazoo Public Schools and ended as Principal of St. Clara Academy in Yazoo City. 

She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Yazoo City where she served in various volunteer leadership roles, in addition to being involved with numerous volunteer youth activities. Later in life, Barbara became an accomplished and dedicated licensed marriage and family therapist and a licensed professional mental health counselor. She maintained a private practice, New Horizons Counseling Center, in Yazoo City and Jackson for more than two decades. 

She served as president of both the Mississippi Clinical Mental Health Counselors Association and the Mississippi Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She served on the board of the Mississippi Counseling Association and on the Mississippi Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors. She was chair and co-organizer of Private Practitioners of Mississippi. In 2000, she was named the Mental Health Counselor of the Year by the Mississippi Counselors Association. Following her retirement, she worked as a part-time staff member with Three Oaks Behavioral Health Out-Patient Center in Ridgeland. 

A celebration of her life will be held at Madison Methodist Church in Madison, MS on Thursday, March 23, 2023 with visitation starting at 9:00 a.m. followed by Memorial at 10:00 a.m. Graveside will be at 1:30 at Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City for those that would like to attend. Sebrell Funeral Home in Ridgeland, MS will handle the arrangements. 

A separate Memorial Service will be held at St. Catherine’s Chapel for those who may not be able to attend at Madison Methodist Church. Memorial donations may be made to organizations that serve children or animals in need. 






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