Lasting Memories

Alan Douglass Fitch
Feb. 5, 1928-May 24, 2026
Woodside, California
Submitted by Alan D Fitch Jr

Alan Douglass Fitch, a long-time resident of Palo Alto and Woodside, died May 24, 2026 at the age of 98 in Prescott, AZ. He was born in Boston, MA on February 5, 1928 to John Douglass and Mary Hamilton Grover Fitch. As a youth he lived in Maryland where he attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, DC. He then graduated from the University of Michigan and was a member of the two-time National Champion football teams of 1947 and 1948. He was the last surviving member of the 1947 team.

He married Gretchen Barbara Bailey of Washington, DC in 1951 and was a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1954. He then obtained an MBA from New York University and began his career in business with Ebasco in New York City. Ebasco was acquired by Boise Cascade Corporation in 1969 and he and his family moved to Palo Alto in 1970. On December 2, 1980, Barbara passed away and in July 1984 he married Melinda Garrett of Woodside, CA where they lived for nearly 40 years. They were very involved in Filoli and the local Saint Bernard Club where they owned and showed champion dogs.

Alan enjoyed sports, particularly Michigan football, watching his children and grandchildren compete in youth sports, and travelling the world. Alan is survived by Margaret Grover Fitch (Henson) Bowles of Boulder, CO, Katharine Louise Fitch Atala of Greensboro, GA, Alan Douglass Fitch, Jr of Prescott Valley, AZ, stepson Greg Garrett of Petaluma, CA, eight grandchildren, seven great grand-children and 3 step-grandchildren.