It was a gesture Jack Pittman would have approved.

On a night to honor the family of the late Halifax town commissioner and World War II veteran with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol building, his sister returned it to the town.

“I appreciate this,” Doris Sykes said at a brief ceremony before Monday night's town board meeting, “But I'd like for you to put here for all of Halifax to see.”

Mayor John White accepted the flag from Sykes and, in return, gave her the certificate that shows the flag flew over the capitol building.

Pittman was longest serving town commissioner in the state, White said at the beginning of the ceremony. “He was one of the nicest people I ever met.”

State Senator Ed Jones said he originally was going to bring a flag which flew over the State Capitol in Raleigh, but recognizing Pittman's service to the country, he contacted Congressman G.K. Butterfield to arrange for one that flew over the nation's capitol building. “I'm so grateful to have known your brother,” he told Sykes.

Halifax County Commissioner Rives Manning called Pittman, “A great mentor and great person.”

Sykes was touched by the ceremony and believed her brother would be, too. “He sure would have loved to be here. It would be the highlight of his life.”