Farley Loniel Fite
Services for Mr. Farley Loniel Fite, 67, of Mexia, will be held at noon on Saturday, Jan. 27, at Northcrest Church of Christ, with the Rev. Alfreda Henderson of Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, of Coolidge, officiating. Viewing will be from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Funeral Home.
Burial will follow at Brown-McGee Cemetery, in Coolidge, under the special care of Moore’s Angelic Funeral Home, of Teague.
Mr. Fite went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, after a brief illness. Mr. Fite was born Jan. 6, 1951, in Longview (Gregg County), to Ladell Fite and Anna Lee Williams Fite. His grandparents were Earlie and Laura Speed Fite, and Perry and Alluter Jones Williams.
At an early age, he united with Growing Valley Baptist Church of Longview, under the leadership of the late Rev. R.B. Bradley. As a child, he attended the Gregg County schools of Janie Daniel Elementary and Maggie B. Hudson Junior High. He graduated from Mary C. Womack High School in 1969.
On July 15, 1969, he joined the U.S. Air Force, ranking as a staff sergeant and serving his country from 1969 to 1973. He completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. During his military career, he was assigned to Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss.; Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska; Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, Calif.; Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, Philippines, and again on Dec. 23, 1972, at Mather Air Force Base. This tour of duty ended July 15, 1973, with an honorable discharge. He served in the Texas National Guard Reserves from 1975 to 1977.
Mr. Fite attended Paul Quinn College, in Waco, from 1974 to 1977. He graduated July 17, 1977, earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree in Elementary Education. On Aug. 11, 1981, Mr. Fite earned a Master of Science (M.S.) Degree in Elementary Education from Prairie View A&M University in Hempstead.
His affiliations included serving as president of the Gamma Kappa Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity during his college years. He also was a captain of the Paul Quinn College track team. He was a member of the National Education Association (N.E.A.) and Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA). He was a teacher in the Mexia Independent School District for 27 years (1977-2004). Mr. Fite was also a member and trustee of Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church in Coolidge.
On Saturday, July 23, 1977, Mr. Fite was married to the love of his life, Lillian Henderson (Fite), in Coolidge, by the Rev. Richmond Stoglin, associate pastor of Carver Park Baptist Church of Waco. To this marriage, three children were born. This marriage lasted for 40 years.
Those preceding him in death include his parents and grandparents, one brother, Ladell Fite II; his aunts, Perryline Williams Fite, Laura Mae Williams Fite; his uncles, Horace Fite and Marcellas Fite; one angel, and mother-in-law Mrs. Lillie Jane Henderson who joined him a few days later.
Mr. Fite leaves to cherish his memories a very special, devoted and loving wife, Mrs. Lillian Fite. Three wonderful children, a daughter, Dr. Tamber LaShaia Fite, and two sons, Farley Loniel Fite II and Ryan James Fite. His sisters include Nelwyn Palmer and husband Harold, of Longview; Evangelist Gaye Lois Thomas and Evangelist Annette Summers, both of Dallas; Patricia Ann Brown, and Janice Rice and husband Elbert, both of Queens, New York. His brothers include Michael Fite and wife Vallie, of Longview; David Fite of Miami, Florida; Jeffrey Fite and wife Norma of Queens, New York, and Wendell Fite and wife Dawn, of Atlanta, Ga. His special aunts include Dorothy Mae Williams Bell, of Longview, and Zelma L. Collins. of San Diego, Calif. He also leaves numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and family to cherish his memory.
Moore's Angelic Funeral Home, 406 Monroe Street in Teague, is serving the Fite family. Visit mooresangelicfuneralhome.com to sign the guestbook and light a candle.