RUSSELL HITT

1935 - 2020

HITT Russell Amos Hitt (Age 85) The only son of Myrtle and Warren Hitt, died peacefully on September 14, 2020 of natural causes in his home in Falls Church. He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Betty Joan Davis Hitt; and his four children, Jodi Hitt Nash, Tracy Hitt Millar and her husband James Millar, Brett Hitt and his wife Kristen Hitt, and Todd Hitt and his wife Susie Hitt; 15 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren, while joyfully expecting two new great grandchildren in the next six months. Russell, the Chairman Emeritus of HITT Contracting and an Arlington native, was born on April 12, 1935. Two years later in 1937, his parents founded W.A. Hitt Decorating, a small residential and commercial remodeling business, now a national construction titan. After attending Washington and Lee High School and ultimately graduating from Fishburne Military Academy in Waynesboro, he attended the Georgia Institute of Technology for an academic year before marrying his first and only sweetheart, redheaded Joan. Russell enlisted voluntarily in the U.S. Army during the Korean war and served two years as a radar operations specialist in the NIKE missile program. After his military service and now with a young family to support, Russell relied upon his construction field knowledge in painting, plastering, and floor finishing, which he was exposed to since the age of 11. He immersed himself in project management at HITT Contracting, learning the trades through a hands-on approach. Tenacious and with a fierce work ethic, he forged a path for HITT Contracting and together with his son Brett and son-in-law Jim Millar, built the company into revered status as one of the top 100 general contractors nationwide. Russell's work ethic and implacable will were legendary. A man who valued character and integrity over status and pedigree, he called himself a "regular joe, who liked his cuppa joe regular-black coffee, please." He saw himself as a common guy, with infinite humility. Relating as much to the blue-collar working man as to management, he often said with conviction, "Some people go off personality; I go off performance." With intuition and innate wisdom, he had a talent for knowing who was good at what, delegating them the work he felt suited their aptitude, and cultivating and coaching them into greatness. Friends and family may say his method of operation was "Do it right, do it fast, and be purposeful and industrious!" Russell believed in creating opportunity, not exploiting it; he celebrated using the power of employment to build something lasting for people who deserved it. Russell loved three things: his wife and the family they built together, his country, and anonymous acts of generosity. He paid it forward through quiet giving gestures that few knew of: the cost of citizenship for a Phillipino woman supporting her family abroad, a monetary gift to the family of a child battling leukemia, and a warm hotel room on a frigid night to a homeless man. He loathed dressing in black tie, and loved hot popcorn, smoking cigars, and ice cream-oh the simple joys! Though he travelled the world, his humble heart belonged to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Rappahannock County, where his family was from. Russell was an active member of the community and a dynamic supporter of multiple civic organizations over the years, holding board positions in the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, Arlington Junior Chamber of Commerce, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and Arlington YMCA. He generously contributed his time to the Salvation Army, Central United Methodist Church, National Capital Hospice (now Capital Caring Health), and the Boy Scouts of America. Russel was a recipient of the Myers-Lawson Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Construction Industry from the Virginia Tech School of Construction to which he gave generously, as well as Georgia Tech's Building Construction program. Philanthropic by nature, Russell and Joan donated $1 million to Phoenix House Mid-Atlantic to fund the construction of their new Wellness Center, and recently gifted $16 million to Inova Health System with the purpose of expanding substance abuse disorder treatment and education services so that Virginians would no longer have to travel out of state for addiction help. Close to his heart was the Virginia Hospital Center Department of Radiation Oncology. In 2014, Russell and Joan funded a new, state-of-the-art treatment suite offering advanced radiation therapy (through a Linear Accelerator) for lung, breast, prostate, head and neck cancers. The Hospital dedicated and renamed the new facility the Hitt Family Center for Radiation and Oncology. Russell was also involved in preservation efforts with the Germanna Foundation, funding the construction of the Hitt Archeological Center in Orange County, Va., and the Piedmont Environmental Council in Fauquier County, gifting $1 million to restore the Old Waterloo Bridge. Russell Hitt built a loving dynasty and left a legacy of hope and passion for work to his clan-five of his grandchildren now work for HITT Contracting in varying capacities. All of them agree that their grandad had grit, guts, and a pioneer spirit. From him they learned that change is NOT an insult, but a challenge, so adapt and find a way, as Russell said, "There's always a way." Inimitable, he will be missed in exceptional ways, for he was an exceptional man. A private memorial was held on September 16, 2020. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to support construction education at RussellHitt.com.A private memorial was held on September 16, 2020. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to support construction education at RussellHitt.com.