Carmen Fitch

Carmen Maria Corona - Fitch was born on July 16, 1919 during a worldwide influenza epidemic. Years later, she survived a worldwide COVID epidemic. She was truly a survivor. She lived to be 103 due to her strong will and prayers from loved ones. She passed away peacefully in her home on December 1, 2022.

She grew up in Oklahoma City. She was a member of Saint Eugene’s Catholic Church. Growing up, her family attended Little Flower Catholic Church and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Carmen’s parents Joseph Corona and Maria Corona (Lopez) didn’t speak English and had 5 children under the age of 10 when the Great Depression hit. Difficult years but still happy ones. Carmen loved to pick a fresh egg for the hen house in the morning. The goose would let them know when someone came in the yard. The kids could be onery to one another, but they cared deeply. They were bi-lingual but as adults their spouses didn’t speak Spanish, so the language was not carried into the next generation.

The family knew the importance of work. Carmen was the oldest and quit school in the 8th grade to help support the family. She cleaned house for several teachers who inevitably helped guide her grammar, etc. She read the bible every night in either English or Spanish.

When living on her own, the neighborhood mailman, James L. Fitch (Jim) made a point to be at a dance where he knew she would be. OKC had a small Hispanic community then. When a Mariachi band came to town, everyone went. Carmen and Jim married and had one daughter, Tamara.

It's hard to separate Carmen’s life from her married life with Jim. They had a harmonious marriage. Their social life centered around family functions and the organizations they participated in. They enjoyed traveling, often making a point to see a relative along the way. Their last trip before Jim passed was a cruise through the Panama Canal.

James became active in the Postal Supervisors Association and represented them at their biennial conventions. The family would spend a week driving each way, stopping to visit national parks and other sites. In the 1950’s Jim was sent to DC to represent the Association. He and his young family met with Oklahoma’s legislatures in their offices on Capitol Hill. It was the family’s first commercial flight which was memorable. Years later Carmen and James were active in the GI Forum, an association for Hispanic veterans.

Tamara married and moved to CA where her daughter Summer Love was raised. Summer resides in Nevada.

Jim passed in 2000. Carmen had not taken care of finances or home maintenance in 50 years. She managed, with Tamara’s help long distance. Tamara moved back to OKC when Carmen was 94. Carmen’s nephew and niece, Joe and Mary gave of their time often to take Carmen to appointments and be there when she needed help.

She was preceded in death by her parents, who she lost when she was a young mother. Those were difficult years for her. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Joe Corona, Sybil Corona, Magellan (Jelly) Corona, and Margaret Holmes. She is survived by many Corona nieces and nephews: Rita Bornoff, Monica Burton, Victor Corona, Regina Wright, Joe Holmes, Mary Guyton, Neta Williamson, Yvonne Bella, Rolanda Escobar, Rueben, Caesar, and Hector Romero. Nephews Michael Corona and Simon Romero are deceased.

When Carmen married James, he had two nearly grown teenagers, Nancy Boe and David Fitch (deceased). David and Nancy’s visits were always a special time. Nancy married Bill Boe and Tamara became an aunt at a young age when Steve, Sandy, and Scott Boe were born. When David was at OSU he and his wife had three daughters Cynthia, Kelly and Leslie. Christopher and Suzanna Fitch were born when David remarried. James was preceded in death by two brothers, William and John Fitch. While the Corona family stayed in OKC, the Fitch relatives moved east and west, but visited often. John’s children: Judy Roth (MO), John Fitch (Hugo, OK), Mike Fitch (CA), and Patrick Fitch (NM), and Mary Clegg (TX). William’s children: Jeri Claire and William Fitch Mann, both deceased.

When Tamara made calls to talk to her mother’s doctor’s offices, or the pharmacy, etc. it was a common response for people to say “oh, we love your mother”. They had known her for many years at that point.

Carmen’s funeral will be 11:00 AM, Monday, December 12, 2022 at Saint Eugene’s Catholic Church on N. Hefner Road, OKC. The viewing will be Sunday, Dec 11, 2022 at Hahn-Cook Funeral home, 6600 Broadway Ext, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. Memorials may be made to St Eugene’s Catholic Church.