University News
Stites Services Set
October 26, 2009
MACOMB, IL – Services for longtime Western Illinois University Foundation Board Member and WIU Honorary Alumnus Jack Stites, 84, have been set for 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 at St. Paul Catholic Church in Macomb. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Macomb. There will also be a celebration of Jack's life at the Macomb Country Club from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 29. Stites died Oct. 25 in Macomb.
Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Clugston-Tibbitts Funeral Home in Macomb. Full military honors will be accorded at the cemetery by the Macomb American Legion and the Macomb VFW.
"The General," as he was known to those close to him, played one season of basketball at Western and was an infielder on the 1944 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) championship baseball team, which swept a doubleheader against Northern Illinois University to capture the state title with just nine players.
Upon his return from a stint in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist mate, Stites earned his bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of Illinois in 1952, then opened Stites Pharmacy in Macomb, which operated for nearly 50 years. In 1982 he added Stites Medical Service to his ventures. The pharmacy was later sold to Hy-Vee, where Stites still served as a part-time pharmacist.
The Industry (IL) native served on Western's Athletic Advising Board since its inception and was the past president of the WIU Foundation. He was one of the first members of the McDonough County Board of Health, appointed in 1975. Thirty-two years later he remained on the board, serving as treasurer. Stites was the recipient of the WIU/Macomb Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award and was inducted into the WIU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.
Jack and Margaret Stites donated $10,000 toward the renovation of the WIU baseball stadium, and following Margaret's death, Stites established the Margaret and Jack Stites Pre-Pharmacy Scholarship to honor Margaret.
In 2006, Jack pledged $50,000 to name the Leatherneck Baseball Stadium press box in Margaret's memory.
He is survived by three sons, Tom (Ann) Stites of Macomb, John (Katy) Stites of Edina, MN and David (Marcia) Stites of Blandinsville (IL); four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the WIU Baseball Press Box or the Jack and Margaret Stites Pre-Pharmacy Scholarship Fund, in care of the Western Illinois University Foundation; or the Margaret Stites Memorial Scholarship at UIC, in care of the University of Illinois Foundation at Chicago. This scholarship was established by Stites in honor of his wife, to be used for students with a demonstrated interest in drug abuse prevention.
Online condolences may be left at www.clugston-tibbittsfh.com.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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