Charles Wesley Fitz, 61
Was respected high school mathematics teacher

WESTMINSTER - Charles Wesley Fitz, 61, of 80 West Main St., died peacefully, Tuesday, March 13, 2007, at the UMass Memorial Medical Center, University Campus Worcester, with his beloved wife of 39 years and his two children at his side. Charles had been valiantly battling an Autoimmune Liver Disorder for several months.

He was born in Dover, N.H. on June 7, 1945, the son of the late Carl Wesley Fitz, Jr. Charles was a 1963 graduate of Dover High School. He graduated from Plymouth State College, Plymouth, N.H. with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in mathematics in 1968; Charles and Pamela were married on December 27, 1967. He received his Masters of Science for Teachers in Mathematics Degree in 1974 from the University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H. He lived in Dover, N.H. for several years prior to moving to Massachusetts in 1979, and has been a resident of Westminster for the past 26 years.

Mr. Fitz was a dedicated and accomplished high school mathematics teacher for 37 years, having been involved in every aspect of secondary mathematics education. He had a particular love for calculus and trigonometry. He had taught at Spaulding High School in Rochester, N.H., Oyster River Middle School in Durham, N.H., and Cushing Academy in Ashburnham. Recently, he taught mathematics at Oakmont Regional High School in Ashburnham for 26 years before retiring in 2004. He enjoyed serving as mathematics director for 16 years of this time.

He was highly regarded by his former students as a caring and dedicated math teacher. When he would cross paths with his students over the years, they would often thank him for ensuring that they left Oakmont prepared with the basic math skills they needed to succeed in college. He was very student centered and considered teaching his most important accomplishments.

Mr. Fitz will be remembered by his family and friends as an avid outdoorsman, loving to hunt, fish, and spend time at his log cabin in Saddleback in Rangeley, Maine. A skilled duck decoy carver, he also enjoyed fly fishing and boating on the rivers and lakes of Maine. In summer, Charles also worked as a Courtesy Boat Inspector for Rangeley Heritage Trust Program.

He leaves his loving wife, Pamela Carter Fitz; his loving daughter and son-in-law, Anne Pamela (Fitz) and Nathan Ediger of Helena, Mont.; his loving son, Charles Wesley Fitz, Jr. of Northbridge; his beloved grandchildren, Faith Anna Ediger and arriving in April, 2007, Noelle Charlize Ediger; his beloved mother, Ethel Marie (Hill) Fitz of Durham, N.H.; and his two loving sisters, Sally Lemelin of Barrington, N.H. and Jane Fitzharris of Baton Rouge, La.

In lieu of flowers, Charles' family asks for Memorial Contributions be made to the American Liver Foundation, New England Chapter, 88 Winchester Street, Newton, MA 02461.

The Westminster Chapel of the Sawyer-Miller-Masciarelli Funeral Home directed arrangements.