Bill Pitts

Bill was born on February 5, 1926, in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

After more than 97 years of intrigue and adventure, Bill passed very peacefully out of this world.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Osgood Pitts, Jr. and Edna McKee Pitts, by his sister McKee Cox, his youngest son Scott Pitts, the mother of his four children, Margot Scott, and his late wife Ruth Pitts; who was also an amazing magician in her own right. Bill is survived by his daughter Debbie Moulton, his son Bill David Pitts, Becky Barton, grand and great-grandchildren, the members of Magic Ring 75 and almost every person and animal he ever knew and loved.

Bill was a master magician (Order of Merlin, Excelsior) who had learned about and performed magic since he was a child. Greatly influenced by his own father’s interest in magic, Bill was very encouraged into this lifelong passion. Having traveled across the U.S. to see many famous magicians perform with his parents, their home at 701 Lecta Ave. in Fort Smith became a regular visitation spot for other famous magicians. Some of the greatest magicians of the time, such as Harry Blackstone, Sr., Jack Gwynne, and Loring Campbell graced their family home.

Bill spent his summers as a young man as a counselor and performing magic at Cheley Camps in Estes Park, CO. This is where he met the mother of his children, Margot Scott. During World War II, Bill served in the U.S. Air Force Special Services Branch; this time performing for troops.

In 1964, Bill organized Ring 75 in Fort Smith. He became President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians in 1978. He has also been a member and been involved in various works and offices within the Masonic order. His magic in addition to his Masonic work brought him membership into the Invisible Lodge. He performed at the famous Magic Castle in Los Angeles. Besides influencing so many with his great enthusiasm, his protégé Nathan Burton was a great source of pride to him.

Throughout all of his various other interesting endeavors, Bill was president of McKee-Pitts Industrials, Inc., which was an industrial supply business started by his grandfather and father. Bill retired from McKee-Pitts after the 1996 tornado destroyed his and many other spaces in downtown Fort Smith.

Despite his retirement, Bill stayed extremely busy through his many clubs, friendships, church, travel and of course magic. Over his many years, he performed for American presidents and pillars of industry. He was also curious about what more the universe had to offer, having been involved in researching UFO sightings on behalf of the U.S. Air Force through Project Blue Book. He was the founder of the Ozark Mountain UFO Conference, a Commander in the American Legion, a great supporter of the Fort Smith Little Theatre, and a member or officer in many, many other local and national initiatives. He truly loved being involved and going to conferences and meetings!

In the end, it is impossible to truly capture the life and deeds of any person and is particularly difficult in this case. Bill had thousands of friends. He was always going someplace. He was constantly doing magic, even at home. There are tales of tricks gone awry at home that involved his exasperated children. (At a house party in the 1960s, a teenage Debbie was trapped in an upright cabinet meant for cutting a person into three pieces by means of large blades. She had to remain in the cabinet for… much longer than intended.) Bill had a natural flair for dramatic subtlety. He was a lifelong fan of the music of Glenn Miller, the islands of Hawaii, and Whoppers malted milk balls. He loved to wax poetic about “tales of yesteryear,” and you would often find him laughing hysterically and then crying within the span of telling the same tale. He never said no to an opportunity to perform, whether it was on a famous stage or in front of his great-grandson’s boy scout troop. (He also never said no to a buffet.) And while, yes, he was a human being and wasn’t perfect, he was a gentleman. His particular brand of quirky storytelling while performing a trick is legendary. His sense of humor and simple happiness in just being alive stayed intact all the way to the end.

He had a truly full and good life.

He was a living legend. He is now… a legend.

We will miss you, Magic Papa.

“Abracadabra, presto-change-o, and ten cans of rotten tomatoes…” - Bill Pitts, Magician

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A brief military service will be held at the Fort Smith National Cemetery at 1pm on April 26th. Following this will be a larger memorial service at First United Methodist Church’s Roebuck Chapel in Fort Smith at 2pm. Services and cremation are entrusted to Edwards Funeral Home.

Honorary pallbearers will be his son Bill David Pitts, great-grandson Alexander Moulton, Mr. Bill Vines, and Bill’s beloved fellow magicians of Ring 75: Russell Turner, Larry Bean, Jody Birchfield, Ken Zelnick, Clyde Hayre, Ron Ingram and Bob Spray.

If so moved, instead of flowers, please make a donation to any local animal shelter you feel needs support. Bill loved animals and his family can think of no better way to throw extra love out into the world on his behalf than helping animals in need. In Fort Smith, Kitties and Kanines, Jen’s Kitty Rehab and Fort Smith Animal Haven are worthy of any financial help or food donations.

Online condolences may be sent to: www.edwardsfuneralhome.com