Joseph Henry “Joe” Sitton passed away on October 9, 2013, at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth in Beaumont, after a long illness. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. 

Daddy was born on July 14, 1926, in Cushing, Texas, to Leona Satterwhite Sitton and Joseph Herman Sitton. He grew up in Cushing surrounded by an extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncle, and his numerous cousins.  In 1944, on the night of his high school graduation, he drove to Houston with a friend and enlisted in the Navy.  Daddy served aboard a troop carrier and a sub tender in the Pacific.  While on leave in October of 1945, he married his high school sweetheart, Sybil Beck, on her birthday.  October 20th would have marked their 68th Wedding Anniversary.

In 1949, on the advice of a friend, Daddy moved to the Golden Triangle and began working at Pure Oil Refinery in Nederland. His young bride soon followed, and they made their home in Port Neches.  After their only child Becky was born, they moved to Beaumont.  In 1952, Mother and Daddy joined South Park Baptist Church and began their life-long commitment to service there. Daddy served there faithfully as deacon, church treasurer, and teacher until his health prevented his doing so.

In 1987, Daddy retired as a maintenance supervisor after working almost thirty-seven years at what had become Unocal. After Mother retired in 1991, they enjoyed many years of traveling with family and friends.

Daddy was a jack of all trades and could build or repair almost anything.  He single handedly built a bedroom for me in the attic of our home, coming home after working a full day at the refinery and then spending hours each night working on that bedroom. When I moved into my townhome, Daddy lovingly refinished furniture that had belonged to my grandparents for my new home. Through the years, Daddy was always repairing something, installing something, or just doing odd jobs for me.  Those jobs were always accompanied by an itemized statement from “Your Handyman” and always marked “Paid in Full Because I Love You.” 

After Daddy retired, he also began gardening. There were always peas in the freezer and plenty of tomatoes to share with friends. He could spend hours outside working in the garden or yard, or doing anything around the house to keep busy. Daddy continued to enjoy working in his garden long after his doctors told him he shouldn’t, and stopped only after it became physically impossible for him to continue. He often remarked that he was just a country boy who liked to have his hands in the soil.

Daddy was just a country boy who became a man like so many others of his generation who were mature beyond their years, and who stayed true to their values of personal responsibility, duty, honor and faith. He was a man of integrity, loyalty, and fidelity, who will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Sybil Sitton; and daughter, Becky Sitton, both of Beaumont; sister, Twink Sitton Ross of Nacogdoches; nieces, Carolyn Wiggins of Beaumont; Lisa Wiggins of Jasper; and Susannah Ross Romero and her husband, J.W.,  of Carthage;  two great-nieces and a great-nephew, his much loved first cousins; and many other family members and friends.

Daddy was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Dagma Sitton Wiggins. 

We are so grateful for the care Daddy received from his physicians – Dr. Timothy K. Colgan and Dr. Jeremy Huff. The nurses and staff on 2 East at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth were like family to us and made his final days as easy as possible. Daisy Allen, Latosha Thomas, and Beverly Zachary, took such loving care of Daddy, and we are so very grateful to them.

A gathering of Mr. Sitton’s family and friends will be from 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Friday, October 11, 2013, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 12, 2013, at Broussard’s, with his graveside service to follow at 3:00 p.m., at Cushing Cemetery, Cushing.