Raymond Fitzsimmons

Rev. Raymond E. Fitzsimmons, Sr., 94, of Versailles passed away at 7:40 p.m., Monday, September 16, 2019 at the Manderley Health Care Center in Osgood. He was born at home near Bainbridge in Putnam County, Indiana on August 5, 1925, the son of George and Daisy Hale Fitzsimmons. He was married to Barbara Flentge on June 12, 1947 and she preceded him in death on October 22, 2015.

Survivors include four sons Raymond Jr. (Zoie) Fitzsimmons of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Bruce (Sara) Fitzsimmons of Versailles, Galen (Becky) Fitzsimmons of Indianapolis, and Dean (Martha) Fitzsimmons of Kansas City, Missouri; one daughter Freda (Gary) Warinner of Alton, Illinois; 21 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren; one sister Norma Jean Bishop of North Salem. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Tom, Bill, Bob, and Mike Fitzsimmons, and his sister Ruby Murphy.

Rev. Fitzsimmons was a 1943 graduate of Bainbridge High School and a 1950 graduate of the Columbia, South Carolina Bible College. He was an Army veteran of WWII, enlisting in the military on January 12, 1944. He served as a Staff Sergeant in the 309th Infantry seeing action in the Rhineland Campaign. For service to his country Rev. Fitzsimmons was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with one Bronze Star, the Oak Leaf Cluster with one Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart for wounds received on March 19, 1945 in Germany. After his discharge from the military on September 21, 1945 Rev. Fitzsimmons pastored churches in Darlington, Indiana, Boise Idaho, Willard, Ohio, and also in northern California and Oregon doing missionary work and church planting. He was also in charge of the Campus Bible Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin at Plattsville, Wisconsin and was a former employee of Montgomery Ward in Crawfordsville. In his spare time he enjoyed woodworking and had made custom cabinets and furniture as well as communion tables and pulpits.

Rev. Fitzsimmons was a member of the Washington Baptist Church at Elrod.

Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m, on Monday, September 23 at the Washington Baptist Church in Elrod with his son Rev. Bruce Fitzsimmons officiating. Visitation will also be at the church beginning at 5 p.m. Burial will be on Tuesday, September 24 at 10:30 a.m. at the Roachdale (IN) Cemetery with military graveside rites. Memorials may be given to the Washington Baptist Missionary Fund in care of the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles.