Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Park Ranger

James Royce Pitney

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District — New Philadelphia, OH

Accident Veteran →

End of Watch December 17, 2002

Age 50

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 150 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Park Ranger James Pitney was killed when a large piece of a tree fell and struck him on the head as he walked beneath a worker in a tree-topping bucket.

The work crew was topping the tree at a campground at Charles Mill Lake when the accident occurred. Ranger Pitney was transported to MedCentral-Mansfield Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Ranger Pitney was a US Air Force veteran. In addition to being a park ranger, he also served as a part-time deputy for the Ashland County Sheriff's Department.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-79C4B711
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Park Ranger Pitney gave the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the New Philadelphia community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District

Location New Philadelphia, OH

Platform Identity mwcd.tuscarawas.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 17, 2002

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

James Royce Pitney served in the Air Force (1971â1991) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Park Ranger James Royce Pitney is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District

of 1 officers

100% Accident

OH — Statewide

318

of 991 officers

32.1% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Royce Pitney's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How James Royce Pitney Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Years of Service