Thomas Fitts

Thomas Roy Fitts

July 20th, 1951 – May 16th, 2025

Thomas “Tom” Roy Fitts passed away on Friday, May 16th in his daughter’s home, where he’d resided for over a year, following a week of hospice care. Tom was a medical marvel, having been the subject of medical students’ case studies in his final hospital visit. While overcoming late-stage Hodgkin’s Disease in 1985, and many experimental treatments available in the 1980s, his vital organs including heart, lungs, and kidneys, reached their limits. His final days were spent with family and close friends, including attending one final Mariner game.

Tom was born and raised in Ephrata, Washington before attending Washington State University in Pullman, Washington where he majored in Mathematics. He began and ended his teaching career at Monticello Middle School in Longview, Washington. He co-authored the Practice Practice Practice math books with Tim Trinkle and Steve Selby.

Tom is predeceased by his parents, Harvey Fitts (1996) and Rachel Reisig (1994), wife, Kathy Fitts (2009), long-time partner Teresa Buckingham (2023), and best friend Peter Reynolds (2006). Tom experienced more grief than anyone should in a lifetime. His surviving relatives include siblings Marge Leigh (Ted), Nona Askwig, and Edward Fitts (Pat), daughter Alexandra Lambert (George), son Kevin Fitts (Julia), grandchildren Arianna Fitts, Abigail Lambert, Logan Fitts, George Henry “Hank” Lambert, Liam Fitts, and Lila Kruse.

Tom was a sports enthusiast, supporting his children in their youth sports, watching professional golf, and supporting his teams—the Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, Sonics, and WSU Cougars.  He was an active golfer for many years at the Longview Country Club, always sporting a lively shirt and tracking everyone’s scores. He had a knack for numbers and science, history and reading, music, sarcasm and orneriness, and doing right by people.

A gathering in Tom’s honor will take place on Saturday, May 31st at 2pm at the Longview Country Club. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Washington State University. Go Cougs!