Arnold Theodore Fitzmier

Arnold Theodore Fitzmier, Jr., better known to friends and family as Ted, passed away Sunday, July 16, 2017. Ted was born September 17, 1943, in Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri, to Arnold Fitzmier, Sr. and Dorothy (Cook) Winston. He was one of twelve children, which included five biological siblings and seven half siblings on his mother's side. Ted married Karen Crocker on May 11, 1966, in Norwalk, California, and they had three sons. The family would eventually settle in Maize, Kansas, in 1976 where they lived for over 40 years. Ted retired most recently from the Maize School District and Ace Hardware. He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign War, serving in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1970. Ted was preceded in death by his parents and a half brother, John Gromer. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Karen Fitzmier, and three sons, Timothy Wayne (Rebecca), Todd Dwayne (Rona), and Tedd Delane (Nichole). He is also survived by his eleven grandchildren, Garrett (Janice), Levi, Tyanna, Kyla, Madison, Blake, Quinn, Seth, Jakob, and Aryann Fitzmier, and his two great-grandchildren, Cash Fitzmier and Dixie Fitzmier, and his siblings. A memorial service celebrating his life will be Saturday, July 29, 2017, at 1:00 p.m., with a reception following at Northwest Free Methodist Church, 3224 N. Tyler Road, Wichita, Kansas, 67205. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with Hope and Healing Africa, 322 N. Tyler Road, Wichita, Kansas, 67205.