Obituary of James "Jim" Joseph Fitch

With heartfelt sorrow and loving memory, we share the passing of Jim Fitch. At 91 years old, Jim passed away peacefully in Colorado Springs.Jim was born in Carroll, Iowa to Florence and Floyd Fitch. He is preceded in death by his parents; and sisters, Ruth and Barbara. He was raised in Fort Dodge, Iowa where he graduated from high school and then attended Iowa State University. Air Force enlistment curtailed his college completion and, many years later, he subsequently earned his BA at San Jose State.Jim's service career coincided with marriage and raising his family. He relocated to Albuquerque, and then overseas to Japan (Johnson Air Force Base). After four years in Japan, he relocated to San Diego and then to Sunnyvale, California where he had a successful career with Lockheed Martin. He worked for Lockheed Missiles and Space Division for over thirty years holding various management positions including Operations Director at Cape Kennedy during the fateful Challenger accident. Prior to this, he spent a few years in Riyad, Saudi Arabia representing Lockheed Martin.Retirement took him from Florida to Colorado where he had a fondness derived from his youth spent as a camp counselor in Colorado. He built a house in Woodland Park with stunning views of Pikes Peak where he lived for over fifteen years. He excelled in outdoor activities enjoying hunting and skiing. He was very sports minded: actively playing football, basketball and wrestling in his youth; and tennis and golf in his middle years. He rooted for the Denver Broncos every Sunday during football season.Jim was an accomplished carpenter and potter. His first pottery class was in 1975 after a friend gifted him a pottery wheel. He did not actively pursue this new "vocation" until 1990 when he retired from Lockheed Martin and moved to Woodland Park. He went on to become the resident potter at a Colorado Springs retirement community where he eventually settled in his later years. He was popular for his pottery which he sold at annual fund-raising events benefiting the resident assistance fund. He made many friends there amongst residents and care givers alike. Jim is survived by daughters, Cheryl Martin and Pamela Donohue; grandson, Nicholas Martin; granddaughters, Kennedy Capozzoli and Samantha Donohue; great-granddaughter, Savannah Capozzoli; and great-grandsons, Sebastian Martin and Landon Capozzoli. Jim will be missed by so many who cared about him.Jim was charitable, giving to local and national foundations. His Christian faith was renewed in his later years. The family plans to hold a memorial and burial later this year.