Alan T. Pittel

Alan Pittel, age 64, of Hartland, Michigan, passed away on March 3, 2026 after a strong battle against a stage 4 rare and aggressive cancer diagnosis that was made only a month ago. He was surrounded by family. He was our rock and the kindest, gentlest soul.

Alan was born on October 9, 1961 to Kathleen and Walter Pittel in Detroit. They moved to Hartland in 1969, where Alan and his brother Roger spent their childhood playing sports, biking around the neighborhood, and starting their engineering careers young. They built a tree fort that stood for many years, an ice rink, a windmill, a sail-bike, and fixed up boats. Alan enjoyed playing hockey, baseball, basketball, and tennis.

Alan went off to Michigan Tech in the U.P. to earn a Mechanical Engineering degree. He had lots of fun and met his wife, DeLynn, there. DeLynn and Alan married on December 1, 1984 in Traverse City. They moved to Ann Arbor and started their life together - going on adventures in the area, joining prayer groups, volunteering at local hospitals to sing and bring worship to others, and starting a family. They then moved to Hartland with their children Jennifer, Kevin, and Mike and formed the perfect home.

Family was so important to Alan. He loved and cared for all of us so deeply. He looked at DeLynn with stars in his eyes and would do anything for her. He was incredibly involved and entwined in our lives - teaching us how to swim, coaching our basketball teams, going to dance recitals, helping us with homework every night, teaching us new things. Kevin and Mike followed in dad’s footsteps and became engineers.

Alan was always active in the church community. He went from being a member of prayer groups to leading his own. He was always playing the guitar and singing worship music - we’ve got CDs to prove it. He played many shows and traveled around nearby cities bringing joy to people through music.  Our vacations usually included a Christian music festival.

Alan was also very business focused. He held an engineering job with Chrysler for many years, and then continued his engineering career with other companies. He was an entrepreneur too - setting up a produce business with DeLynn (with a push from young Jennifer) and a billboard business, both of which he loved and enjoyed working on deeply. He also managed a produce department and never came home without a story about how much he loved it. He loved working with people and helping others.

Alan was very passionate about making the world a better place, and politics were yet another area of his focus. He organized trips to DC for inaugurations, attended many rallies, and created a Super PAC to support politicians he believed in.

Alan was always up for and planning the next adventure. He loved skiing in California, Utah and Michigan, mountain biking and camping in the U.P., swimming in Lake Michigan, kayaking, golfing multiple times a week, organizing a backyard bonfire, the list goes on. Every adventure needed a plan and he set that up - walkie talkies for the caravan, portable shower for camping, inflatable kayak for the water. He even made just going out for dinner during the week so much fun (Arnold Palmer in hand).

Beyond all of that, Alan was always helping everyone and finding creative ways to do it. He helped Jennifer and Justin find a house in Michigan while they lived in California. He built a pulley system for heavy outdoor items, an air filtration system during Covid, and was constantly improving things around the house - his and his children’s. Alan was always engineering a way to make something easier, more efficient, better.

Alan was an all or nothing kind of guy- and it was never nothing. When he had an idea he jumped in head first and didn’t stop until it was successful. And he had so many good ideas. He was a leader in everything he did. Always in a good mood. Always made you laugh. Always telling a good story. Passionate about everything he ever did.

Alan is survived by his wife DeLynn (Stoppa) Pittel, children Jennifer, Kevin, and Mike, Walter (father), Roger (brother), Carol (sister-in-law), Justin (son-in-law), Celine (daughter-in-law), Ashley (daughter-in-law), Hannah (niece), Isaac (nephew), Adena (niece), and grandchildren Clifford, Kaycie, and Cherie. He is preceded in death by his mother Kathleen Pittel.

Alan was the best dad, husband, brother, father-in-law, grandpa, friend, engineer, handyman, businessman, child of God - and now we add best guardian angel to that list. We love and miss you so much.

A mass will be held at 11am Friday March, 13th at St. Mary Magdalen in Brighton, 2201 S. Old US 23, Brighton, MI 48114. Visiting begins at 10am, with lunch at noon. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Alan’s life. Condolences may be sent to DeLynn Pittel at 3440 Fenton Rd, Hartland MI 48353.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.