June 6, 2003 Hutchinson News Hutchinson, Kansas PROTECTION - Garland John Fitzwater, 84, died June 4, 2003, at Pratt Regional Medical Center, Pratt. He was born April 20, 1919, at Coats, the son of Ernest and Pearl Reipe Fitzwater. He was a 1937 graduate of Protection High School, Protection, and attended Dodge City Community College, Dodge City. A lifetime resident of the Protection area, he was a farmer. He belonged to United Methodist Church, Protection. On Dec. 24, 1938, he married Irene Christine Ditch at Dodge City. She died Oct. 20, 1978. On Nov. 11, 1983, he married Colleen Mae Graeff-Solomon at Protection. She died Oct. 25, 2002. Survivors include: two sons, John, Olathe, and Jack, Des Moines, Iowa; five daughters, Carol Petty, Pryor, Okla., Betty Jo Maris, Protection, Shirley Sue Mathews, Dodge City, Sandy Hoffman, Coldwater, and Nona Fitzwater, Olathe; six stepsons, Dawson Romesburg, Fort Smith, Ark., Paul and Rex Romesburg, both of Dodge City, Fred Romesburg, Hutchinson, Jim Romesburg, Garden City, and Kirby Romesburg, Wichita; four stepdaughters, Beatrice Goddard, Lakewood, Colo., Linda Amato, San Antonio, Tammy Ford, Ashland, and Gail Cox, Dodge City; two sisters, Velma Horton, Dodge City, and Jean Fitzwater, Ashland; 19 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; 31 step-grandchildren; and 35 step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Bill Fitzwater; a grandson, Sheldon Hoffman; two stepsons, Larry and Lyle Romesburg; two step-granddaughters, Sonya Lynn Hernandez and Jennifer Lynn Jones; and two brothers, Ray and Jim Fitzwater. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church, Protection, with the Revs. Dennis Carter and Bud Mathews presiding. Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. today at Hatfield Prusa Funeral Home, Coldwater. Burial will be in Protection Cemetery, Protection. Memorials may be sent to American Cancer Society, or to the Southwind Hospice, both in care of the funeral home.