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Zebedee Pitterson, the owner of Sunny Side Bakery, a Belize City Institution, passed away last night at 7:30pm.  He was 83.  For those of us who grew up on the Southside, Pitterson is a giant, a successful black businessman who built his brand name since 1959 on the quality and consistency of his product.  And even when facing tough competition from newcomers, he never sold out, never flinched.  Today his business remains a thriving south side enterprise, but about a decade ago he retired to his other life's work: charity.  Quietly and without fanfare, Pitterson ran a feeding program, which he continued until school closed.  

Today his wife, Alvia, who asked to appear off camera, told us about his passions and his commitment:

Voice Of: Alvia Pitterson - Wife of Zebedee Pitterson
"Baking on charity, he is very charitable. People need help, and he sees it, he can't turn away. He is always helping them. I could tell you that, that's his life, and his Bible. I am forgetting to tell you that. His Bible is like his wife."

Jules Vasquez
"Explain to me why he continued, because we know most of the local Belizean bakers have stopped operating. Maybe the competition is too difficult for them."

Voice Of: Alvia Pitterson
"He stand up; nobody will close him down. He always said, 'The Chinese could make their bakeries; it's okay.' But they won't shut him down. He said that he doesn't mind if he went in and sold it himself, just so that the profit goes to the customers. He doesn't mind that he doesn't get much. What I want to tell you, that's the kind of person that he is. He worked day and night, hard; he neglected us at home. We have to be by ourselves, everything like we don't have a husband and a father. But, he provided for us; he's the best. I never nobody ever provided for their family like that. He provided lavishly, and when I say lavishly, whatever we needed, he found it. To me, I think he was a great person."
the funeral is planned for Sunday afternoon.

His wife tells us that he had fallen ill six weeks ago where he and some type of cardiac event, and reported a low blood count.  Still he continued his charity programme, and when he fell ill again last week, he refused to go to the doctor.  

Sunny Side bakery remains open and is run by his son.

ZEBEDEE PITTERSON DEAD at 83.