Theodore Hitch Jr.

Theodore “Ted” Hitch, Jr., of Evansville, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 10, 2016. He was born September 3, 1927, in Princeton, IN to the late Ted and Hettie (Pharis) Hitch. His most memorable moments growing up were of family gatherings and adventures with his uncles and cousins, the Hitch boys. After high school, he enlisted in the Navy, then returned to Princeton, where he married Joan Lewis in August 1949. They moved to Evansville, where they lived until her death in 1990. Ted taught mathematics at Bosse High School for 25 years. While teaching at Bosse, he began working with the Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union (ETFCU), which at the time was located in a Bosse broom closet. After retiring from teaching, he became the full-time president of ETFCU, which by now had outgrown its broom closet. He retired from the credit union in 1989. He was proud of his work at ETFCU and took great joy in watching it grow under his leadership into a multi-million dollar financial institution. The credit union’s Ted Hitch Scholarships are named in his honor; to date, 180 students have received more than $320,000 through this program. Ted met his second wife, Nancy, through the National Audubon Society, and they married in August 1994. They spent 21 joyful years traveling, photographing nature, birding, and spending time with family. He is survived by his loving wife, Nancy; his three daughters, Marcia (Tim) Lloyd of Bloomington, Ind., Leigh (Mark) Ray of Louisville, Ky., and Laura (Greg) Dimmett of Evansville; three grandsons, Josh Lloyd, Dennis Gookin, and Andy Dimmett; three granddaughters, Sara Dimmett, Becky Lloyd, and Lesley (Ben) Williams; six great-grandsons; brother, Jim Hitch and family; and his brother-in-law, Jeff Brandt and family. A celebration of Ted’s life will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, March 14, 2016, at Methodist Temple, 2109 Lincoln Avenue, where Ted had been an active member since 1953. Entombment will follow at Alexander Memorial Park. Family and friends may visit Sunday from 12:00 to 6:00 PM at Alexander East Chapel, 2115 Lincoln Avenue, and Monday from 10:00 AM until service time at the church. The family invites memorial contributions in Ted’s honor to go to Methodist Temple or Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, 1401 N. Fares Avenue, 47711. Condolences may be made online at www.AlexanderEastChapel.com.