Donald Webb Fitton Jr.

Family-Placed Obituary


FITTON, JR., Donald Webb A native and lifelong resident of Hamilton, died peacefully early in the morning on his 83rd birthday. He was devoted to a large extended family and well loved for his great charm, a delightful sense of humor, and wide range of talents. Mr. Fitton's great vocation was aviation. He received his wings and served as a lieutenant in the Army during World War II. He held instrument, instructor, and commercial ratings, and went flying at every opportunity for the next 54 years. He led the commission that upgraded the Butler County Regional Airport. Mr. Fitton was also a wonderful and natural musician, known for his talent in singing and leading vocal groups, including Rotary Revels choruses, barbershop quartets of family and friends. For 40 years he sang in the First United Methodist Church choir, often leading the introit. He was a gifted piano player and often took his bass fiddle to parties. He was a talented athlete, excelling in baseball, basketball, tennis and skiing. Mr. Fitton attended Fairfield public schools, graduating in 1942, and received a B.S. in civil engineering from Ohio University in 1950. He spent his entire career as a general contractor with the Vaughn Building Company of Hamilton, building highway bridges and commercial buildings, and he loved his work. Mr. Fitton was a board member of many community organizations, including First United Methodist Church, Junior Achievement, Westover Retirement Community, Ohio Contractors Association, Ohio Laborers Pension Plan, Hamilton-Fairfield Airport, and Walloon Lake Country Club. Mr. Fitton was the son of Donald Webb and Nannie Vaden Fitton of Hamilton. He met Emily Claire Jackson of West Point, Georgia, in 1949 at Ohio University, where she taught dance, and they married in 1952. He had 3 daughters and 1 son: Emily Fitton Fuhrman (Jim) of Hamilton, Nancy Vaden Fitton of Alexandria, VA, Donald Webb Fitton, III, (Roberta) of Greenville, SC, and Travis Fitton Kinch (Greg) of Hamilton. Their grandchildren are Jamie and Cy Fuhrman, Camilla, Victoria and Donny Fitton, and Sinclair, Hannah, and Georgia Kinch. Mr. Fitton's brothers Cyrus Fitton of Carmel, CA, and Vaden Fitton of Hamilton, and sister Kate Fitton Irvine of Suffolk, England, all survive him. His family thanks his many, many friends, the caring staff at Westover and Berkeley Communities, and Vitas Hospice. Memorials may be sent to the Hamilton Community Foundation at 319 N. 3rd, Hamilton, OH, 45011. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00, Monday, April 30, at Weigel Funeral Home, 980 N.W. Washington Blvd. A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 1, at the First United Methodist Church, 2nd and Ludlow Sts. Rev. Kenn Barton and Rev. Grant Montgomery will officiate.