Deacon Francis Pittie, 78, a retired deacon from Brooklyn who was living in Florida, died July 17 at his home. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated July 27 at St. Rose of Lima, Parkville.

Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros was the celebrant and Father Lukasz Trocha was a special concelebrant. Deacon Christopher Wagner preached the homily.

Born in Trinidad, Deacon Pittie attended public schools and St. Mary’s College before going on to pharmacy school, graduating in 1960 with a license to work as a pharmacist. After working in that field for 25 years, he studied business at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. In the U.S., he worked as a licensed massage therapist.

He lived in Holy Innocents parish, Flatbush, and was active there as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, lector, church fund-raising team member and president of the Legion of Mary.

He was ordained to the permanent diaconate on May 28, 2011, and was assigned to St. Rose of Lima parish.

Deacon Pittie retired and moved to Florida in December, 2013.

He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Silvia, of Avon Park, Fla. Burial was in Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn.