Robert “Bob” A. Stitt, 85, passed away Wednesday, January 16, 2019 in Wichita. He was born November 2, 1933 in Liberal, the son of Leon and Lyda (Gibble) Stitt. Bob was a member of the First Christian Church and American Legion.
He moved to Goodwell in the panhandle of Oklahoma at age 3 and spent his early grade school days during the dust bowl days and WW II. These were busy years with school, cows to milk, hogs and chickens to feed and victory gardens to hoe. Robert had no recollection of hard times.
In 1945 he moved to Pratt and attended Central and Pratt High schools. He was a member of the Cub and Boy Scouts during his school years, earned the Second Class Badge and attended Camp Pawnee. Summer months had him running the Bottling machines bottling Dr Pepper and several flavors at Pratt’s Doctor Pepper Bottling company at 5th & Washington Street.
In the summer of 1953, he started his lifetime career with Pratt Well Service as floor hand and serviced oil wells until reassigned to the repair shop in 1986 where he checked returning pulling units for serviceable tools and equipment prior to return to the field. He retired in 1996 after 43 years. He cherished his years with the Pratt Well family thanks to an outstanding relationship with Pratt Well Service.
In 1955 he was drafted into the Army and served in basic training at Camp Chaffee and as Field Operations and Intelligence Specialist SP3 with Hq & Hq Btry 2nd Field Artillery Battalion, Fort Sill, Oklahoma as SP5 E5. In 1957 he transferred to the USAR unit in Pratt and served until 1961. Following his Army Reserve service he served as Cadet in the Civil Air Patrol with meetings at the former Pratt Army Air Field.
He married Rena May Corbet in August 1962. These were good years with fun times in the garden, canning garden and sand hill plumbs, cracking black walnuts, crafts and County and State Fair competition with lots of ribbons. They were divorced in June 1982.
After his divorce he purchased a motorhome and started traveling during winter months. Travels; took him to Mexico, Arizona and California in early years and then settled down to Texas during winters. He always stayed at the same RV parks and they become his extended family.
For several years he traveled with Sam Gillette, a local painter that painted church steeples and flag poles during the winter. His son Randy and Cindy Gillette shared his home with their children LuCynda, Randy and Mary for several years and they became his extended family. These were fun years with lots of hunting, fishing, garden and camping.
Bob is survived by his brother, David Stitt of Pratt. For 85 years he was always there when called on and is greatly missed. He is preceded in death by his parents.
Family will greet friends from 11:00 – 11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 30, 2019 at Larrison Mortuary, 300 Country Club Road, Pratt. Memorial Service and Inurnment will follow at 12:00 p.m., at Greenlawn Cemetery, Pratt. Memorials may be made to B-29 Museum in care of Larrison Mortuary.
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