The Passing of Another Classmate

In Memory of

William (Bill) Thomas Witt

September 5, 1948 - December 23, 2011
Albuquerque, New Mexico

WITT - William Thomas, "Bill," 63, died December 23, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM where he had made his home since 2004. He died unexpectedly as the result of complications of surgery.

Son, brother and uncle, Bill often regaled family and friends with elaborate tales of life lessons and adventures at family gatherings, campouts, around the office or wherever he had an audience. His stories ran the gamut from early elementary school adventures in the North 13th Street Neighborhood where he grew up in Muskogee, OK to casino and campfire tales of his last home in Albuquerque, NM

Born September 5, 1948 in Lake City, FL to Richard E. Witt and Frances Long Witt, Bill's family moved to Muskogee, OK shortly after his birth. Bill's father was chief of surgery and later chief of staff at the Veterans Administration Hospital. Bill attended Franklin Elementary, West Junior High and Central High School in Muskogee. As a boy he was active in "Big Field" sports in the neighborhood, band, Boy Scouts and the YMCA. He was aquatics director at YMCA Camp Takatoka near Chouteau, OK and worked at the YMCA in Muskogee. He attended college at Oklahoma State University, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and later finished his undergraduate degree at Oklahoma City University. Bill served in the United States Air Force Reserves from 1967 to 1973 as a medical service technician and research assistant and also worked as a medical technician at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and VA Hospital in Muskogee.

Bill earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Tulsa School of Law, and practiced criminal law at Pryor and Anadarko, OK and St. Petersburg, FL. He later began working in the gaming business and was an Inspector/Auditor for the Tribal Gaming Commission of the Pueblo of Sandia at the time of his death.

An avid fan of Oklahoma Sooner football, Bill also enjoyed golf, scuba diving and camping.

He is survived by his father, Richard E. Witt, M.D., (retired) of Tulsa, OK and four siblings, Nancy Witt Whitman and Susan Witt Ludeman, of Tulsa, Richard H. Witt, of Edmond, OK and Robert J. Witt, of Albuquerque, NM. He is also survived by six nieces and nephews and five great nieces and nephews. The family suggests that friends remember Bill through contributions to the Salvation Army, YMCA, Environment New Mexico or a favorite charity.

No formal services were planned. At Bill's request, his remains were cremated and he asked his remains not be interred. "Rather, I have explained to my brother Robert that I wish to be taken camping so that I may fall in one last campfire, as this was something of a trademark move of mine during my life."

His wishes will be met.