Thomas A. Fitts

Thomas Allen Fitts, 55 , of Pacific, passed away on November 10, 2021. Mr. Fitts, son of the late Robert Fitts and his wife Marian nee Weber, was born on July 23, 1966 in Kirkwood. He received his education from the University of Missouri-St Louis. On October 14, 1989, he was united in marriage to Janet Jones at the Catawissa Union Protestant Church.

Tom graduated from high school in 1984 and started as an AFA provider. He got his EMT license while attending nursing school at St. Louis Community College at Meramec.  He worked at Meramec Ambulance District and volunteered at Eureka Fire Protection District. 

When he graduated, he worked as a cardiothoracic nurse at St. Luke's and then in the ER at Des Peres and Deaconess, where he worked his way up to head nurse. He worked part time at Mercy Washington with his wife, Janet, who is also an ER nurse and paramedic. While helping raise a daughter and two sons, he enjoyed his position as regional salesman for Alliance Medical. He also worked as a Red Cross Nurse volunteer. 

During that time, he obtained his paramedic license. He left Alliance to work full time at Washington Area Ambulance District while his wife was running the paramedic program at East Central College. He helped with students until Janet's health deteriorated, and he was hired to replace her. 

He took over as ECC's EMS program coordinator in January of 2002, where he also has taught in the nursing program. Since then, he continued to actively work in EMS until 2020, when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. His special sense of humor and faith have encouraged and challenged not only his own students, but the EMS community as a whole. 

Tom has coordinated many special events, including a scholarship fund for EMS students, outreach with Make A Wish, and has been very active as board president for Meramec ambulance, as well as sitting on many committees both in the college and the EMS community. He has been the Missouri State EMS Testing Coordinator for many years. As an AHA instructor for all disciplines and state PHTLS coordinator, he has impacted  innumerable patients' lives through educating for understanding. 

He doesn't know the meaning of "quit" and doesn't turn down opportunities to help his students (and other students that come to him for help) be successful both in school and after licensing. His former students include successful EMTs, paramedics, department chiefs, training officers, nurses, flight paramedics, critical care paramedics and a host of other successful professionals both inside and outside of healthcare. 

Tom still teaches and continues to be an advocate for excellence in emergency medical education and adult education in general. He's been involved with every level and aspect of EMS. But the job he's most proud of is that of amazing husband and father. 

Mr. Fitts was preceded in death by his parents.

Among his survivors are his wife Janet Fitts of Pacific; three children, Megan Fitts of Pensacola, FL, Adam Fitts of Pacific, and Jacob Fitts and fiance Jasmine Derhammer of Union; brother, Don Fitts of Pacific; his loving cats, Oliver and Dusty; other relatives and many friends.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Six Flags St. Louis, with a funeral service beginning at 1 p.m. The EMS walk through will also be during this time. Formal uniforms are requested, but not required. Interment will be in the Jane Callahan Cemetery in Bunker, MO. Memorial donations can be made to the East Central College EMS Scholarship Fund.

Arrangements in care of Nieburg-Vitt, Thiebes Funeral Home, Pacific.

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