[Clayart] Linda Pitelka - June 24, 1947-February 11, 2026

[Vince Pitelka via Clayart]

Dear Clayart Friends =

If you are on Facebook with me, you already know about this, but there are
so many old friends who have stayed with Clayart since the early days, and I
want them to know. Some of you had the chance to get to know my darling
wife Linda, who I have been with since 1968 and married to since 1970.
Linda passed away at the UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC on Wednesday at
10:50 in the morning. She was a wonderful human being, a retired professor
of history, and a fiery radical spirit with a profound empathy for the
underdog and anyone suffering. Recently she had been dealing with multiple
health problems, and the treatment for each was often problematic for the
others. On New Year's Eve day and again a week ago today, I took her to the
emergency room when she was experiencing extreme exhaustion and could barely
move around the house. In both cases the cause was severe anemia. She also
had AFIB, hardening of the heart muscles, and the onset of congestive heart
failure. The gastroenterologists did a variety of procedures to identify
the source of the blood loss causing the anemia. They nailed it down this
past weekend and were planning a treatment regimen. On Wednesday morning I
arrived at the hospital about 8:30 just after they delivered Linda's
breakfast, and the main UNC hospital has very good food. She enjoyed the
breakfast quesadilla she'd ordered and was in good spirits. After the meal,
she was tired and lay back in her hospital bed, and in a matter of minutes
she was asleep. A nurse came in a few minutes later to get her vitals, and
found no pulse. She immediately called a code-blue and began chest
compressions, and a crowd of people appeared within seconds, doing all the
things they are supposed to do to revive someone after cardiac arrest. I
called my son Morgan immediately and he and my daughter-in-law Brenda rushed
to the hospital. The code-blue trauma team worked on Linda for over a half
hour, but were unable to get a stable heartbeat, and then no heartbeat at
all. Linda passed away peacefully in her sleep, and was happy, dearly
loved, and well-fed before she fell asleep. We should all be so lucky as to
experience such a peaceful transition.



This is more information than most of you wanted or needed, but it does me
good to share it with people I care about, and especially with others who
have lost a spouse or life partner. Feel free to contact me at
vincep...@gmail.com <mailto:vincep...@gmail.com> with your
well-wishes and especially if you have stories or information you feel will
be helpful to me. Thanks to all of you for your friendship and generous
sharing of information over the decades since I joined Clayart in 1994,
right after I was newly hired at Tennessee Tech University. This discussion
forum has been an important part of my life for 32 years.

- Vince



Vince Pitelka

Potter, Writer, Teacher

Chapel Hill, NC

vincep...@gmail.com <mailto:vincep...@gmail.com>

www.vincepitelka.com <http://www.vincepitelka.com/>

https://chathamartistsguild.org/



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[Terry Lazaroff via Clayart]

Cher Vince;
Please accept my sincere condolences. Although I did not have the chance to meet your wife, Linda, my heart goes out to you and your family during this difficult time. You are in my thoughts.
Terry


________________________________
From: Clayart <clayart...@lists.clayartforum.com> on behalf of Vince Pitelka via Clayart <cla...@lists.clayartforum.com>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2026 9:28 AM
To: Clayart <cla...@lists.clayartforum.com>
Cc: vincep...@gmail.com <vincep...@gmail.com>
Subject: [Clayart] Linda Pitelka - June 24, 1947-February 11, 2026

www.vincepitelka.com<http://www.vincepitelka.com> <http://www.vincepitelka.com/>

https://chathamartistsguild.org/



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[Cara De Celles via Clayart]

I am so sorry for your tremendous loss, and thank you for sharing this with us so openly and honestly. I hope you continue to do so as I agree it's helpful. I've learned grief is a lifelong process and our hardest and most important work

- Vince

Vince Pitelka

Potter, Writer, Teacher

Chapel Hill, NC

vincep...@gmail.com <mailto:vincep...@gmail.com> 

www.vincepitelka.com <http://www.vincepitelka.com/> 

https://chathamartistsguild.org/

URL: <https://lists.clayartforum.com/pipermail/clayart/attachments/20260213/59107d57/attachment.htm>

[Paul Randall via Clayart]

Vince,
On more than one occasion I have wanted to write to tell you that I think you are an amazing man, generous, ingenious, and yet humble. Linda had the pleasure to share her life with such a man. That is priceless and I am sure played a role in her peaceful passing.
PLR

Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
________________________________
From: Clayart <clayart...@lists.clayartforum.com> on behalf of Cara De Celles via Clayart <cla...@lists.clayartforum.com>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2026 9:20:56 AM
To: Vince Pitelka via Clayart <cla...@lists.clayartforum.com>
Cc: Cara De Celles <carac...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Clayart] Linda Pitelka - June 24, 1947-February 11, 2026

www.vincepitelka.com<http://www.vincepitelka.com> <http://www.vincepitelka.com/>

https://chathamartistsguild.org/



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[Steve Dalton via Clayart]

I am sorry for you loss and praying for you and your family. My condolences.
Steve Dalton
Clear Creek Pottery
Lake Stevens, WA

- Vince

Vince Pitelka

Potter, Writer, Teacher

Chapel Hill, NC

vincep...@gmail.com <mailto:vincep...@gmail.com> 

www.vincepitelka.com <http://www.vincepitelka.com/> 

https://chathamartistsguild.org/

URL: <https://lists.clayartforum.com/pipermail/clayart/attachments/20260213/0064424b/attachment.htm>