A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday, December 11, 2020 at 10:00 am at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection (14720 Roe Avenue, Leawood, KS), Due to Covid-19, Social Distancing up to 50 people will be able to attend. The Celebration of Life will be live streamed on-line at: https://cor.org/memorialonline. A private family service and burial will be held at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri following the celebration of Life. Instead of flowers, the family has suggested memorial contributions go to the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection or the Shriners Children's Hospital St. Louis, Missouri.
Dick was born in Kansas City, Missouri to Dewey and Doris Hitt, on October 27, 1926. Dick attended the Kansas City Missouri Junior College prior to his World War II experience in both the Navy Air Crew and the Army as a Sergeant serving in the South Pacific. After his military experience, he returned to the University of Kansas. He graduated in June of 1949 with a B.S. in Business.
He married Marion Knapp Miller on October 2, 1949, at the Broadway United Methodist Church, who he met on a blind date in June of 1947. At the time, Marion was working on her Masters of Chemistry at the University of Kansas. Dick's business careers include; Swift and Company, Prudential Insurance Company, Gustin Bacon Manufacturing Company, then retired from Hallmark Cards as the Materials Control Manager in February of 1986.
Dick was an active Mason, belonging to Old Mission Lodge #153, Lenexa Lodge #135, Scottish Rite, 32 degree KCCH, Abdallah Shrine, Abdallah Greeters, The Order of Quetzalcoatl OKET, and past Worthy Patron of Meera Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star #491, and a member of Adda Chapter OES #467.
He grew up attending Covenant Presbyterian Church followed by 21 years on the official board at Broadway United Methodist Church, 21 years as a Deacon at the Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church and most recently a Congregational Care Minister at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. Other activities included Board Directors of the Nail Hills Country Club, President of the Shawnee Mission Sertoma Club, President of the Kansa City Unit WBCC!., President of the Abdallah Greeters, Master of Scottish Rite, and an officer in the Order of Quetzalcoatl. Dick was active in Scouting, serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Committee Chairman of BSA Troop #387 and Honorary Order of the Arrow. He enjoyed his volunteer activities with Johnson County Christmas Bureau, VFS and American Legion Bingo at the Leavenworth V.A. Hospital and a teacher assistant in the Olathe School District. He made several disaster relief trips with the church of Resurrection, one to Honduras to help construction of a new church. Dick and Marion were honored by the City of Lenexa in 2001 receiving the Community Award. Dick was honored as the 2002 Johnson County Senior Volunteer of the year with recognition from the Kansas House of Representative. Dick and Marion were honored members of Alpha Phi Omega at Kansas State University. Dick and Marion were avid travelers. They traveled to all 50 states in their Airstream Trailer, twenty-eight months of overseas travel including seven continents, Sixty eight countries and four cruises. Their most memorable trip was the summer of 1998, when they traveled with their two granddaughters to Europe.
Dick and Marion had a wonderful married life for sixty-three years. Dick's death was preceded by his wife, Marion, January 9th, 2011 and his son, Charles R. Hitt, October 25th, 2009. Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Nichols and her husband, Steve (Olathe, KS); two granddaughters, two great-grandsons, one great-granddaughter and many family and friends.
