Kirk Randall Fite

Kirk Randall Fite passed away on 08/13/2025 after an 8-year battle with prostate cancer. He was 61 years old. This is his obituary in his own words…… It would seem that despite my best efforts to the contrary, apparently, I have died. They warned me this would happen, but I always thought I might at least make it to retirement. Sadly, it looks like the fickle finger of fate took the opportunity to flip me the bird one last time……… stupid fate! On 9/18/63, in Blytheville, AR., I was welcomed into this world by my mother Jean, father Sam, and older brother Eric. I grew up in Ponca City, OK. and have many wonderful memories of my childhood from that time. I remember my mother's terrific sense of humor and the great jokes she used to tell me. I remember going on awesome adventures with my dad. I remember my grandfather taking me to work with him at the bakery, and my grandmother making cinnamon toast in the morning. I also seem to have a memory of my brother giving me one of the dogs Gains Burgers and telling me it was a brownie (its funny the random things you remember from when you were young). I also have lots of wonderful memories of all my old friends from Ponca. I wish we had been better about staying in touch over the years. Shortly after finishing High school in Ponca City, I moved to Okmulgee to pursue a degree in drafting/technical illustration from OSU tech. It was there that I met my future wife, and soul mate Sharon. Despite being a broke college student, and living in a $160 per month shack of a house, this period from the 1980s was always remembered as the best years of my life. After graduating from OSU, Sharon and I moved to Dallas where I spent a few years working as a Technical Illustrator. Dallas was a fun place to be in the 1980s, but after a few years, we decided we had had enough of big city life, and we moved back to Ponca City. I spent a few years working at Conoco in Ponca City, but after getting caught up in the great "right sizing" layoffs of the 1990s, I decided to return to college to finish my B.S. at NSU in Tahlequah. Upon graduating from NSU, Sharon and I moved to Fort Gibson Lake where we spent the next 25 years doing all the usual "lake stuff" people do……I.e. riding 4-wheelers, fishing, cook-outs, and parties with friends and family (more awesome memories). During our time on Fort Gibson Lake, I worked for a variety of companies in the Tulsa area as a Mechanical designer, and Manufacturing Engineer. The last 13 years at HEM Saw in Pryor, OK. As it turns out, this last company I would work for was the most enjoyable, and memorable work experience of my entire career (even if they did "accidentally" fire me once). Despite my untimely departure, Sharon and I got to spend a pretty amazing 40 years together. We should have known when the Hells Angels decided to share our honeymoon with us that we were in for an unforgettable ride. Over the years, Sharon and I shared more love, laughs, and good times together than I could have hoped for. As they say, it was a life well lived. This brings us to the present…. My new address will be the Oak Grove section at Oddfellows cemetery in Ponca City. I should have one of the best views of the Conoco tank farm around. Friends and family are invited to visit me there anytime. If you aren't a friend or family, please skip the visit (it was a real test of my good-natured disposition to put up with most of you when I was alive). Since this is after all about death, I will close with some of my favorite quotes on the subject... "If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went". Will Rogers "When I die, don't let me start voting Democrat" Unknown (but clearly very wise) "In the end, life boils down to a highlight reel of all your years of memories…. make as many as you can". Kirk Fite Kirk's life will be celebrated 10AM, Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Hope Chapel at the Oddfellows Cemetery in Ponca City, Oklahoma. The family of Kirk Randall Fite has entrusted his care and cremation to Clifford D Garrett Family Funeral Home, Fort Gibson. 918-478-2555. Online condolences may be left for the family at clifforddgarrettfamilyfh.com