Charles R. Fite's Obituary
Charles R. Fite Jr., 89, of Germantown, Tenn., went to be with the Lord Jan. 31, 2016. A native Memphian, Charles – known affectionately to his family and friends as Charlie or Buddy – was the son of Charles R. Fite Sr. and his wife, Naomi Hampton Fite. Charlie attended Guthrie Elementary School in North Memphis, where he won the Judge Guthrie Award for academic achievement, and Humes High School, where he graduated in 1944. He was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and served as a supply sergeant at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. Returning from the war, he attended Memphis State College where he graduated in 1951. It was there that he met his wife, Jo Ann Floyd. After graduating, Charlie taught at Messick High School and at Central High School. Charlie and Jo Ann were married on Dec. 15, 1951. Charlie then was hired by Rotary Lift as an electrical engineer. Rotary Lift was later bought by Dover Elevator Corporation, and Charlie worked there in engineering and training until he retired. Charlie loved the Lord. He put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at age 18. He took his family to Willow Park Baptist Church beginning in the early 1960s, and he was a deacon there. When a tornado struck the church in 1967, Charlie, then age 40, saw it across a field and hurried to the sanctuary, thinking quickly as to how he could help safeguard the congregation. He yelled, “Everybody get under the pews!” and they did. Fortunately, the tornado touched down away from the people. In later years, Charlie and Jo Ann were members of Central Church in Collierville, where he taught Sunday school into his 80s. Charlie’s favorite movie was “It’s a Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart. He loved to go to reunions of his class from Humes. He had a good sense of humor and he loved watching Johnny Unitas play football and the Memphis State Tigers play basketball. Charlie was a hard-working, loving, faithful husband, father and grandfather. Charlie was preceded in death by his wife, Jo Ann, by one of his and Jo Ann’s sons, John Timothy Fite, who died shortly after birth, and by his stepsister, Jean Goforth. Charlie leaves two sons, David Fite (Peggy) of Tucson, Ariz., and Matt Fite (Shan) of Germantown, Tenn.; his sisters Doris Crain of Tucson, Ariz., Jane Williams of Arlington, Tenn., and Jean Sutton of Collierville, Tenn.; six grandchildren – Jessica Bryant, Eric Moss, John Fite, Elizabeth Fite, Joseph Fite and William Fite – and four great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1 pm, Saturday, February 6 at Central Church, 2005 E. Winchester Blvd. Collierville, TN. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119. “Celebrating Life… Behind the Stone Wall”
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