William "Bill" T. Fitts

William T. Fitts, 85, of Dansville, passed away peacefully in the early morning of March 11, 2016 at the Dansville Country Care Facility. Born March 4, 1931 in Franklin, Tennessee, Bill was the third of seven siblings. Mr. Fitts was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 60 years, Nancy, in December of 2013, his parents, Leonard T. and Nonnie M. Fitts of Bon Aqua, TN, and his older brother, John Edward Fitts of Nashville, TN.

He is survived by three sisters, Ruth Buchanan and Alene Harrington of Bon Aqua, TN, Peggy Davidson of Dickson, TN; two brothers, James and Bobby Fitts of Bon Aqua, TN; five sons, David Fitts of Owosso, MI, Michael (Carol) Fitts of Charlotte, MI, Ward Fitts of Dansville, MI, Steven (Jennifer) Fitts, Chief Master Sergeant, USAF, currently stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, and James Fitts of Grass Lake, MI; eight grandchildren, Katherine Fitts of Traverse City, MI, Amanda and Ashley Fitts of Leslie, MI, Alex Fitts of Roseville, MI, Emily and Jeremy Fitts of Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, Nicole Cary of Charlotte, MI, and Joe Vara of Potterville, MI. After coming north in the late 1940s, Bill worked in a machine shop in Ferndale, MI, where he met his to-be wife of 60 years, served in the US Army in the early 1950s, and began his career in the elevator industry in the late 1950s at the Fisher Building in downtown Detroit, which evolved into a position with Otis Elevator where he remained until his retirement in 1992. Mr. Fitts served on the Dansville Village Council and later as Village President during the 1980s. Bill loved hunting and fishing in his younger years, and throughout the years of his children growing up, he served as a Scout Master, softball and little league coach, and MYF leader. Bill was an avid do-it-yourselfer and took great joy in fine woodworking in his retirement years. Bill was a devoted husband and father who placed his family about all else. As a human being, Bill was one of the rare ones who always said what he meant and meant what he said, with rare exception. By all of his family, his sons, and especially his grandchildren – who he loved more than life itself – he will be sorely missed. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 6:00pm at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Home, 621 S. Jefferson St., Mason, Michigan. The family will receive friends from 12pm to 2pm, and again from 4pm to 6pm on Thursday. For those desiring, contributions may be made in Bill’s honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.