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Submitted: 3/30/22 • Approved: 4/1/22 • Last Updated: 4/4/22 • R1426761-G1426761-S3
March 23, 1925 - October 9, 2012
*Obituary
Rogers Morning News
Thursday, October 11, 2012
BELLA VISTA — Leila "Tibble" Dewey Fitch was born March 23, 1925, in rural Cedar County, Neb. She died on Oct. 9, 2012, at Concordia Health Care and Rehab in Bella Vista, Ark. She was the second daughter born to J. Irvin and Mabel Carlson Dewey.
She graduated from Coleridge (Nebraska) High School and attended Wayne State Teacher's College in Wayne, Neb. She taught school for one year before marrying her college sweetheart, Harold E. Fitch, at the Naval Base Chapel in Memphis, Tenn., on June 10, 1944.
Tibbie and Harold had five children and moved 31 times in their marriage, living in Tennessee, Washington, California, Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, South Dakota and Arkansas. Tibbie managed the Dakotas United Methodist Federal Credit Union for many years and served as a director of women's division of the United Methodist Church.
They retired to Bella Vista in 1987. Harold and Tibbie spent many winters after retirement working on building projects all over the United States for Habitat for Humanity and SOWERS.
Tibbie was active in church and community activities and enjoyed reading, playing bridge, music and doing crossword puzzles. She served on the Village House board and volunteered in the church and Habitat for Humanity offices.
Memorial services will be held at First United Methodist Church in Bella Vista on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 4 p.m. Cremains will be interred at the Bella Vista Cemetery.
Tibbie was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Shirley Sizemore; and two sons, Don D. Fitch of Hiawatha, Kan., and Hal E. Fitch of Bella Vista.
She is survived by her husband of 68 years, the Rev. Harold E. Fitch; two daughters, Jean (John) Justice of Bella Vista and Kim (Paul) Budd of Sugar Creek, Mo.; one son, Van H. Fitch of Eveleth, Minn.; one sister, Betty (Don) Heitman of Coleridge, Neb.; two daughters-in-law, Sandra Fitch of Bella Vista and Sue Weast of Hiawatha, Kan.; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church of Bella Vista, Helping Hands or Habitat for Humanity of Benton County.
Arrangements were by Epting Funeral Home of Bella Vista.
Condolences to the family: www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.
Contributed on 3/30/22 by judyfrog
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Record #: 1426761