William Richard Wright Fitz

11/28/23-11/6/07, of Dedham, died of complications related to Alzheimer's Disease on November 6, 2007. He was born in Brookline, MA, the 2nd son and one of 5 children of the late Phoebe and Dr. Reginald Fitz. He attended The Park School, Milton Academy, and Harvard College where he played on the football and baseball teams. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, and as a member of 11th Airborne Division fought as a paratrooper in the Pacific Front in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands, and was awarded a Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster. In September 1948 Bill and Nancy Harte were married in Chestnut Hill. He worked for Monsanto in Houston and New York, and then, changing careers, worked as a hospital administrator in New York and Bermuda. He maintained his love of sports and games throughout his life, and in his retirement became a carpenter, machinist, woodworker, and avid golfer. In 2000, Nancy, his wife of 52 years, died. In 2003, he married Gretchen Waldbillig of Marblehead, MA, with whom he happily lived his last 4 years. He is survived by his wife, Gretchen, his siblings, Phoebe Wallace of Tunstall, VA, Dr. Reginald Fitz of Woodstock, VT, Jean Buffum of Providence, RI, and Edith Hemenway of Providence, RI; his six children, William Fitz of Boquete Chiriqui, Republic of Panama, Dr. David Fitz of Portland, ME, Jane F. Moriarty of West Newton, MA, Alexander Fitz of Menlo Park, CA, Thomas Fitz of North Palm Beach, FL, and Oliver Fitz of Needham, MA; and 14 grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Milton Academy's Harrison Otis Apthorp Chapel, 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA, on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Perkins School for the Blind or Squam Lakes Conservation Society.