Col. Charles D. Chitty, Jr. Obituary

Charles D. Chitty, Jr. died at his home in Albany on Saturday, March 21, after a brief illness. Col Chitty was born in Ft. Gaines, GA on November 1, 1914.He attended Middle Georgia College in Cochran, GA and Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) on baseball scholarships before joining the Army Air Corps in 1937. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on September 1, 1939, Col Chitty served 28 years on active duty and retired in l965 as a command pilot with over 5,600 flight hours. His early years were as a flight training instructor and training staff officer teaching new pilots. In 1944/45 he flew 39 combat missions destroying 32 locomotives and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as a fighter pilot in Italy. Following WWII, he served in Japan, returning shortly after the beginning of the Korean Conflict. In 1953 he graduated with a B.S. in Military Science from the University of Maryland. In the 1950's and 1960's, Col Chitty served in various positions of responsibility as Commandant, Squadron Officer's School, Maxwell AFB, AL, fighter wing commander at Elmendorf AFB, AK and at Hamilton AFB, CA until his retirement. He flew twenty-four different types of aircraft during his Air Force career. While serving in the Pentagon he obtained a M.S. degree in International Affairs from George Washington University. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1965 he worked briefly as Comptroller for Darton College (formerly Albany Junior College) before becoming an instructor in the Social Science Department teaching U.S. government and history for almost twenty years. Subsequent to his retirement in 1985, he was named Professor Emeritus at Darton College. Colonel Chitty helped in founding Albany Bible Church.In 1939 Col Chitty married the late Marianne Turnipseed also of Ft. Gaines. They were married for 58 years before her passing in 1998. He married the former Peggy Sheppard Curles of Albany in 2002. Col Chitty is survived by three children, Deane C. Reher and husband Harold of Albany, Charles B. Chitty and wife Kay of Mt. Pleasant, SC, and LTC (Ret) Daniel R. Chitty and wife Kathy of Fayetteville, GA. His grandchildren include William (Billy) M. Mitchell, Jr., of Atlanta, Edward (Dean) D. Mitchell of Savannah, Charles (Andy) A. Chitty of Savannah, Katherine (Missie) Kinlaw of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Charles (Chuck) B. Chitty of Chattanooga, TN, Kathryn (Katie) C. Pearson of Atlanta, and MAJ Matthew B. Chitty, US Army of Killeen, TX, currently deployed to Iraq. He also has nine great grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren. His brother, David C. Chitty, preceded him in death as did his parents, Charles D. Chitty and Edna K. Chitty all of Albany. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Albany Community Hospice, 2332 Lake Park Drive, Albany, GA 31707 or to Albany Bible Church, 100 Grand Island Drive, Albany, GA 31707.Visitation will be Tuesday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors. The funeral service will be held Wednesday at 11:00AM at Albany Bible Church. The interment service will be held at 3:30 PM at New Park Cemetery in Ft. Gaines. Pastor Pete Daughtry and the Reverend Richard Turnipseed will officiate. You may sign the online registration and share your own memories with the family of Col Chitty by visiting Kimbrell-Stern's website at www.kimbrellstern.com.

Col. Charles D. Chitty, Jr. Obituary

November 1, 1914 - March 21, 2009