Orvis Newgard FITTS

FITTS, YOURD, LANGE, SCHMITZ, FIELDER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/27/2015 at 16:39:12

March 10, 1919 --- June 18, 2015

Orvis Fitts, 96, was born in Belmond, Iowa, on 10 March 1919. He passed away 18 June 2015, in Overland Park, Kan. Orvis graduated from high school in 1937 at Marshall, Minn., and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., with the Class of 1942. During World War II, he was a Naval Aviator and served in the Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations. After the war, he continued to serve in the Naval Reserve and retired in July 1964, in the grade of Lieutenant Commander. After a 34-year working career with AMOCO Oil Company, he retired as Senior Staff Employee Relations Representative in May 1980. During the following years, he served at different times as President of The Civil War Round Table of Kansas City, The Westport Historical Society, the Heart of America Chapter of The Military Officers Association of America, Chairman of the Monnett Battle of Westport Fund, and for 12 years the Director of Archives for Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church. From his early youth, Orvis had always been a student of history, primarily military history of the Civil War. As an adult, he guided numerous Battle of Westport and Battle of Mine Creek bus tours and other area Civil War site tours. He gave many talks on the Civil War and other historical topics to various organizations. For his family, he wrote a book of his personal memoirs of World War II.

Orvis married Leta (Lee) Janette Yourd in Clinton, Iowa, on 26 November 1948. Their children are son, Gregory (Barbara) Fitts of West Des Moines, Iowa; daughters, Barbara Lange of Raytown, Mo., and Allison (Nick) Schmitz of Olathe, Kan. Also surviving are their grandchildren, Jason (Olivia) Fitts of Olathe, Carrie Fitts of Clive, Iowa, Damon (Wendy) Lange of Moreno Valley, Calif., Jeramy (Ann) Lange of Independence, Mo., Brittney (John) Fielder of Olathe, Courtney Schmitz of Olathe, and great grandchildren, Faith Fitts of Olathe, Lucia and Emma Lange of Independence, Shelby and Shelton Fitts of Clive. A Celebration of Orvis' life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, 9300 Nall Ave., Overland Park, Kan. A private family inurnment will take place in Johnson County Memorial Gardens. Memorials are suggested to Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church. Orvis will be dearly missed by his family and friends. Johnson County Funeral Chapel

Kansas City Star - Kansas City, Missouri
June 24, 2015