Holly MatkinUniversity Park, PA – Penn State University Police and Public Safety (UPPS) Administrative Lieutenant Deborah Stitt died unexpectedly on Oct. 26.
Penn State announced the 55-year-old lieutenant’s sudden death in a news release two days later.
“Deb served the Penn State community for more than two decades and had a passion and drive for her work unlike any other,” UPPS Associate Vice President Charlie Noffsinger said in the release.
“Her level of professionalism and dedication to her work not only benefited our entire department, but it also had a positive impact on the entire Penn State community,” the news release said.
Lt. Stitt devoted 28 years of her life to her law enforcement career, having worked at Shippensburg University prior to joining the UPPS.
She had been with the UPPS for 23 years, to include a stint serving as station commander at Penn State Altoona.
She was most recently assigned to UPPS headquarters at the University Park campus, where she oversaw hiring, recruiting, training, and the on-boarding of new employees at 22 campus locations, according to the press release.
“She will be greatly missed by all of her colleagues at UPPS, including those she worked closely with at headquarters and her colleagues and friends at Penn State Altoona, where she served for many years,” Noffsinger said. “We continue to mourn this great loss.”
Lt. Stitt leaves behind her husband of 24 years, Charles, and her daughters, Ashden, Aubrey, and Alexis, Penn State said.
She is also survived by her mother, two sisters, and three brothers.
. @Pirates recently visited @PSAltoona, coordinated in part by @penn_state University Police Lt. Deb Stitt. The Pirates, including @_JM55 , Jesus Liranzo, Jung-ho Kang, @SquidBrault , @Pirate_Parrot, gave away food and swag to Penn State students, employees, and visiting fans. pic.twitter.com/SB4od4ypcN
— Penn State University Police and Public Safety (@PennStatePolice) February 5, 2019
Lt. Deborah Stitt, University Police station commander at Penn State Altoona, participated in the Women Leaders in Criminal Justice: Then and Now panel discussion. The event was sponsored by Penn State Altoona's Women's Studies and United in Leadership group. #pennstatepolice pic.twitter.com/8NjWj01WB5
— Penn State University Police and Public Safety (@PennStatePolice) March 23, 2019
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Penn State University Police and Public Safety Administrative Lieutenant Deborah Stitt, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.
Sandy Malone
