Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Easter morning at the First Christian Church, Warsaw, turned from celebration to sadness when the assistant church minister died suddenly before the sunrise service.
Danny Pitzer, 48, collapsed at the church Sunday morning shortly after 6 a.m. as the church was getting ready for a "Sonrise" service.
Two Kosciusko County Sheriff's deputies ran across the street from their office to the church and performed CPR on Pitzer until paramedics arrived. Pitzer was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:09 a.m.
Kosciusko Coroner Larry Ladd ruled the death was caused by natural causes and said it appears to be related to a heart attack.
Pitzer was assistant pastor at the church since 1985. He leaves behind his wife, Marilyn, and two daughters, Emily and Edie, one a junior at Warsaw Community High School and the other a junior at Milligan College in Tennessee.
Pitzer was co-director of the Kid's Klub at First Christian Church, providing Christian education, music and social programs for youth. He also introduced the church's weekly radio program on WRSW each Sunday.
Pitzer's obituary is on page 3A of today's Times-Union.
