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Dr. Richard Bowen Fite

Dr. Richard Bowen Fite obituary, Colorado Springs, CO

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Richard Fite Obituary

After a year of recurring health issues, Richard B. Fite, age 67, died June 22 at Penrose Main Hospital in Colorado Springs, CO, surrounded by his loving family. A Memorial Service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, June 29, at Village Seven Presbyterian Church, 4050 South Nonchalant Circle, in Colorado Springs, with a reception following. He was born April 7, 1946, to Charles Robert and Mary Jane (nee Bowen) Fite, Jr., in Memphis, TN. He grew up in Memphis and graduated from Germantown High School in 1964. He was a member of First Evangelical Church and Young Life. He attended Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, GA, graduating with a BA in English. He met his wife, Shayne Stroop, there and they were married on August 23, 1969. After a year of pastoral internship in Baltimore, MD, they moved to St. Louis, MO, where Rick attended Covenant Theological Seminary and received his Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained in 1975 and served as both Youth Director and then Associate Pastor at The Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church in St. Louis. It was during that time that his two children, Bo and Mandy, were born. In 1985, the family moved to Colorado Springs, CO, where he became the Senior Pastor of Evangelical Presbyterian Church; the name changed in 1987 to Grace Presbyterian Church. He faithfully served his congregation there for the past 28 years. He was also actively involved in local ministries and various positions in the Rocky Mountain Presbytery. He served on the board of Evangelical Christian Academy (ECA), including a number of terms as chairman of the board. He was an adjunct professor at New Geneva Seminary in Colorado Springs where he was a popular instructor in homiletics. In recognition of his long and faithful service, New Geneva Seminary awarded Rick an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 2006. Rick reflected God's love to all those he came in contact with, and we rejoice that he is free from suffering and dancing in the presence of the God he loved and served and who has loved him so faithfully all of his days. Survivors include his beloved family: wife Shayne, son Bowen James Fite (Holly) and their daughter, Sofie Quinn (Poppy's precious granddaughter), and daughter Amanda Ruth Fite; brother, William Robert Fite (Linda), Memphis, TN; his in-laws who considered him a big brother-Candy Schap (Worcester, MA), Melody in Heaven (Rich) Petrik (Sarasota, FL), Kelly (Mike) Grubbs (Sarasota, FL), Robin (David) Moyar (Apex, NC), and Mark (Dawn) Stroop (St. Cloud, FL); and 19 nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rick Fite Grandchildren Education Fund at US Bank.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Gazette on Jun. 26, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Richard Fite

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Kathleen A Darnell (nee Haddaway)

October 26, 2023

Kathleen A Darnell (nee Haddaway)

October 26, 2023

Kathleen A Darnell (nee Haddaway)

October 26, 2023

Dear Shayne &/ Family, Although a decade has passed, please accept my condolences for Rick´s HomeGoing. My memories, though nonspecific, are still of a year of encouraging ministry at Evangelical Presbyterian Church (RPC-ES) in Baltimore MD.
In 1969, I was 13 and a new member of the church. You were the beautiful bride of a handsome pastoral intern. My parents Reese & Ruth Haddaway and siblings Judy and Reese Jr share wonderful memories of our decades there, the church we could walk to. Thank you for your service there!
On a snowy Friday evening, Dec 22, 1978, Wayne Darnell and I were married by Rev Dennis McDonough. As our 45th anniversary approaches, we are grieving the recent shocking loss of our oldest daughter. Now 3 of our 7 children are in Heaven.
I am praying for you from the Appalachian Mountains of Western MD. May each day be healing, hopeful, and full of gratitude to God for His gift of eternal life.
With loving prayers, Kathleen

July 16, 2013

What a loss to those of us here on earth, but what a gain to Heaven! Pastor Fite will be remembered with joy! Prayers and love and God's comfort to all of you. He will be missed. Kathy Golden O'Neal

Sue Doolittle

July 13, 2013

Shayne, Mandy and Bow:

I will aways remember Rick - how nice he was to me when I came to Grace with Deb -you all made me feel so welcome. Take goodcare of yourselves. Maybe I will see you again before too long - I sure hope so. Love to you all.

Sue Doolittle

Gerry Malkus

July 3, 2013

Shayne,
So sad to hear of Rick's death. We trust for a genuine sense of the Lord's presence for the time to come.

Andrea Richardson

June 29, 2013

Shayne,Bo and Mandy,
What a wonderful example Rick was to Kirk of the Hills congregation and what a big kid he was to the children and teenagers. Our thaughts and prayers are with all of you. Andrea Richardson

Sue Cole Allfrey

June 29, 2013

Shayne, Bo and Mandy,
I so wish I could be there with you to celebrate Rick's faithful, precious, amazing life. His love and faithfulness to God, with gifts of great teaching and wise counsel, rooted and guided me in faith in my early Christian life. And your friendship has been a treasure through the years. Continually thinking and praying for you all, with love.

Mike and Janie Gantt

June 29, 2013

Shayne,

We know you will miss him...but only for a time. His love for you was obvious, and the two of you always seemed a perfect fit.

June 28, 2013

SHAYNE:
Carol and I were stunned to hear of Rick's death. Be assured of our prayer support in the days and weeks ahead.
JOEL and CAROL BELZ

L. MacKay

June 28, 2013

Pastor Rick,
We love you and thank you for being our dear Pastor! You and Shayne faithfully and lovingly led GPC and shared in our family's joys and sorrows for 28 years! Your Scriptural messages gave us “meat” to chew on and live by. Your thoughtfulness, cheerfulness, and humor enriched our lives. To lose you is a terrible blow to us. We count on God to tenderly care for Shayne, Bo, Mandy and your other family members day by day until they see you again—and we look forward to rejoicing with all of you one day SOON in His presence!!!

Lew and Ruth Ann Kofoed

June 28, 2013

Shayne and family, sorry to learn of your loss. May you find peace in God knowing Rick is with him.

Wanda Sewell

June 27, 2013

Dear Shayne, Bo and Mandy, May our Lord continue His ministry of comfort to you by wrapping His Arms of love about you and holding you close. We never know somethings in life but one thing is certain and that is Rick is in God's presence for all eternity and is awaiting the rest of his family. Sorry for your sorrow and pain at this time. Love, Wanda

Sharon and Dave Beaman/Enns

June 27, 2013

To the Fite Family, We are so sorry for the loss of your husband, father and grandfather. Although we didn't know Rick well, our son is a friend of Bo's and the Fite family treated him with kindness and love over the years. I think their generosity and giving spirit exemplifies the kind of man Rick was and I have no doubt this loving spirit will always live on in his children and precious grandchildren.

With sincere sympathy,

Sharon Beaman and David Enns

June 27, 2013

The Fite family had such an impact on my ife and the other kids from the Kirk of the Hill in St. Louis. He will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with Shayne, Bo and Mandy. I am so sorry for your loss. Rick, I know, is rejoicing with Jesus.
Molly (McDougall) Shocker

Bob and Val Schnackenberg

June 27, 2013

We are remembering Rick, an amazing man of faith, wisdom and leadership. Shayne, Mandy and Bo, we are thinking of you and praying for your comfort in these weeks and months ahead. We'll be out of town on Saturday but will be especially thinking and praying during the service. Love you guys!

Jeff Todd

June 27, 2013

Several us Kirk of the Hills "kids" from back in the 70's/80's were just talking about Rick last week, and the impact he made on his. How sorry we are to hear this news. Heaven has gained a special one indeed.

June 27, 2013

My dear cousin Shayne...You and your family continue to be in my thoughts and prayers! I know God is giving you all great strength to get through the coming times.
Love & hugs,
Kaye Mushalik

June 27, 2013

What a gift God gave when He sent Rick! Thank you Fite Family for sharing him with Colorado Springs and beyond. My prayers are with you as always. Love you all, Don and Diane B.

Rob & Shini

June 26, 2013

Shayne, Mandy & Bo, we're so sorry for your loss. Rick's passing leaves a huge void in our community. We have such good memories of Rick and we will miss him. Our deepest sympathies and much love to you all during this difficult time.

Karen Bradford

June 26, 2013

Shayne, I'm really sorry to hear about Rick. He was a great man. Thinking of you and your family in this time of grief.

June 26, 2013

Although we have never met in person I feel as though I have through our friendship on facebook. Prayer are with you Shayne.

Amanda

June 26, 2013

I love you guys and will journey with you as you have with me on loss, great loss. Rick was amazing and left an incredible legacy of faith and love

1956 Rick at Bat

June 26, 2013

I am Dr. Rich's third cousin on his mother's side. I haven't seen Rick since we were kids, but have followed his career through his brother Bill. We would visit Memphis in the summers (lived in LA). One summer Rick and I were on the same team playing Hide-and-seek. There were woods behind their house, he and I were laying behind a log when Rick asked me "are you allergic to Poison Ivy?". I asked him why and he said ...well you are laying in it. Oh good.
My prayers are with the Fite family he truly was a man of God, Bobby Bowen

WANDA MEDDERS

June 26, 2013

Shayne, my prayers are with you al...to be absent from t he body is to be present with the Lord.

Angela Potter

June 26, 2013

We're so sorry for your loss. You have all been so faithful and courageous as Rick has struggled with his health issues. You have been an inspiration to us all. We have loved getting to know Rick the past few years and we will greatly miss him. Shayne, Mandy, Bo, Holly and Sophie are in our prayers. Love you all!

David and Donna Asbell

June 26, 2013

Bill,
So very sorry to hear about Rick. Bobby had told me he wasn't doing well and that you were able to go see him recently. I know you will miss him.

Ann Brewer

June 26, 2013

Shayne, so sorry for your loss. Your faith through these hard times has been such an inspiration to me.

Diane Frasure

June 26, 2013

To Shane and Family, I am so lost for words at this time. Rick was such a wonderful man of God. He helped our family thru some rough times. We know he is now in the arms of our Lord and Savior. May God give you peace and comfort in this trying time. Lovingly Diane Frasure,Jeff,Mike and Karen and Scott.

Ron Horning

June 26, 2013

Your faithfulness and love for our Lord Jesus Christ has made an everlasting impact on my life, Rick. I rejoice with you that you are now in His presence. May you reap all the rewards He has bestowed upon you,

Nancy Lewis

June 26, 2013

Shayne, Bo & Mandy-
My heart and prayers are with you. Our world has lost a wonderful man. I cannot think of a major life event that didn't include in some form or fashion Rick, and of course Shayne. So very special, he will live on in our memories. My deepest sympathy and love to all.

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