Dr. Richard Bowen Fite

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.