Tyler Pirtle, an energetic and spirited young man known for his adventurous spirit and kindness, passed away on October 23, 2024, at the age of 18. Born on July 14, 2006, in Blue Springs, Missouri, Tyler was the beloved son of Jennifer Titus Pirtle and Travis Pirtle, and cherished stepson of Cole Million and Ashley Hoover.
From age three until almost twelve, Tyler lived in Columbia, Missouri, before moving to Lee's Summit in 2017. During his academic career, Tyler earned the admiration of his teachers for both his academic performance and his character. He attended Ridgeway Elementary, Prairie View Elementary, Oakland Middle School, Pleasant Lee Middle School, and recently graduated from Lee’s Summit High School with honors, achieving an impressive 3.8 GPA his senior year. He was enrolled in the Cyber Security program through Metropolitan Community College and was looking forward to starting his college journey.
From a young age, Tyler displayed an insatiable love for exploration. He was often found atop the highest trees or structures in the area without a fear. I remember being at Crown Center during Christmas, where he climbed atop one of the houses by the Christmas tree and then asked how he was going to get down. I loved watching him explore and turn short hikes into extended adventures where we made forts in the cliffs and tromped through the woods.
Tyler loved animals, both domestic and wild. His pets included dogs named Lola, Guiness, Dolce, Zelda, Mia, Jaz, and Zeus, a cat named Spikey, a lizard named Lightning, and he even tried to adopt raccoons, squirrels, and rabbits. Tyler once found a baby raccoon while in Columbia and, when trying to feed it, got bitten on the finger.
Tyler and extreme sports went hand in hand. He started snow-skiing at the age of three in Colorado and quickly took to it. We would try to go on a yearly ski trip and stay with our friends, the Chapmans, where he grew up with Gillian. Tyler loved water sports and would take the wildest rides on the tube, wanting to go faster and faster until he flipped off. He had some pretty wild crashes.
Tyler was deeply committed to scouting, beginning his journey as a Tiger with Pack 2 in Columbia in 2012. His dedication and leadership were evident as he advanced through the ranks, crossing over into Troop 706 and later transferring to Troop 255. Tyler proudly earned the rank of Eagle Scout on May 19, 2022, with a notable Eagle Project that involved restoring benches and bleachers for the Blue Springs Baseball Association. His achievements in scouting were further recognized when he earned the honor of Warrior in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say in 2019, and later elevated to Firebuilder in 2020. In 2023, Tyler embraced his love for the ocean and fulfilled a lifelong dream by participating in the High Adventure SeaBase program, where he spent seven days scuba diving. Tyler found a love for scuba diving during that trip and was looking forward to many more opportunities to dive around the world.
A versatile athlete, Tyler showcased his talents in soccer, baseball, football, and street basketball. Tyler started playing baseball in 2014 and quickly found a passion for pitching. He had a fastball that would leave batters speechless. On the defensive side, he would track any ball in center field and sometimes into right and left field to rob batters of their hits. Tyler found his love for football when he started playing for the Pleasant Lee Tigers in middle school. There, he played linebacker and enjoyed hitting his opponents. In high school, he switched to wide receiver, where he had some great catches and a touchdown that ended up getting brought back for holding.
As Tyler grew into a young man, he developed a passion for music, cars, girls, and going out. Tyler was a very attractive young man and had several girlfriends throughout his junior high and high school years. Tyler got to attend his first concert, seeing Slipknot and Cypress Hill. He got into the mosh pit and really enjoyed the atmosphere of a live show. His next show was seeing Ed Sheeran at Arrowhead, which he was hesitant about at first but ultimately enjoyed, appreciating Ed's creativity and musicality. Tyler got his first car, which he washed almost every day. He was extremely excited to get his license and was ready to hit the road and live life to the fullest.
Tyler is preceded in death by his grandfather, Duane Titus, and great-grandmother, Norma Best. He leaves behind a loving family, including his parents, Jennifer Titus Pirtle and Travis Pirtle; stepparents, Cole Million and Ashley Hoover; brother, Mason Pirtle; and sister, Isabel Titus. He is also survived by his grandparents, Becky and Jeff Hubbard, Marsha and Gary Pirtle, and Carol Hoover; aunts and uncles, Bryan Martin, Eric and Menda Titus, Lance Pirtle, and Shaun and Brooks O'Neill; and cousins, Katelyn, James, Cecilia, Thomas, Michael, Michaela, and Erin.