Baxter Beverly Fite Jr., 100, of Peoria, went home to his Lord and Savior on Monday, May 23, 2022, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

He was born on April 16, 1922, in Resaca, Ga., the son of Baxter Beverly Fite Sr. and Bertha Beatrice (Walraven) Fite. Baxter married Billie Mildred McKinney on September 29, 1951, in the home of her aunt, Flora Rodgers, in Benton, Ill. Billie preceded him in death.

Baxter is survived by two children, Marsha K (Mark) Zielinski of Peoria and Baxter (Marilou) Fite III of Peoria; four grandchildren, Adam M. Zielinski of Chicago, Ill., Angela Nicole (Jeff) Venegas of Peoria, Amanda (James) Anderton of Peoria and Nathaniel Fite of Peoria; and five great-grandchildren. His mother and father preceded him in death.

Baxter grew up working his father's farm in Resaca, Ga. He spent many days in the hot sun, tending fields and hand-picking cotton. One cousin noted, "When he (Baxter) was 8 or 9 years old, Baxter could do the work of a 12- or 13-year-old, and when he was 12 or 13 years old, he could do as much as any man. He was always a perfect gentleman, and always easy to get along with."

Baxter attended grade school and 3 years of high school in Resaca, Ga., before transferring to Martha Berry School in Rome, Ga. He was at Martha Berry School when he received notice to enlist for World War II service in March of 1942. After completing Basic Training at Camp Claybourn, La., and Medical Training at Camp Howze, Texas, Baxter sailed past the Statue of Liberty on October 6, 1944, on a troop transport bound for Marseilles, France, to fight in the European Theater. Arriving in Marseilles on October 20, 1944, Baxter served as an Army Medical Corpsman in the 103rd Infantry Division (known as the Cactus Division). During this time, the 103rd Division broke through the Vosges Mountains (a feat thought to be impossible), breached the Siegfried Line during Operation Undertone, liberated Selestat, France, and were among the first troops to liberate prisoners in German concentration camps going without food himself in order to feed the prisoners. At the close of World War II, Baxter was sent home for a 30-day leave, prior to receiving additional training, in preparation to be sent to the Pacific for the War against Japan. However, during this leave, the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and WWII came to an end. Baxter was discharged from service on November 21, 1945, and returned to civilian life.

Baxter began working at Western Electric in January of 1946, traveling throughout several southern states, installing telephone equipment. During mid-1949, Baxter "saw" Billie M. McKinney working in a Southern Bell Telephone Company office. He told his co-worker, "Someday, I am going to marry that girl!" Both moved to Peoria, Ill., in 1949, and two years later they married. Baxter worked several jobs, including Kitchen Made Pie Co., Home Juice Company, Stateville Penitentiary and Railway Express, until he hired on at Caterpillar Tractor Co. in 1967, where he worked until retirement.

In spite of many life achievements, it was Baxter's faith in God that was most important in his life. He was baptized at Bethany Baptist Church on March 12, 1961. From an early age until his last days, his daughter's vivid memory is of a man who made time daily to read his Bible. His life's focus was reaching people for Christ, both by his walk and his talk. He had a strong personal faith and loved Jesus Christ. Even as he struggled during his last days in the hospital, he was witnessing to those around him. Baxter was a 70-year member of Bethany Baptist Church, where he volunteered as a church usher, helped with church maintenance and helped build the church's bus ministry. He was particularly close to his numerous friends within the Berean-Ambassador Sunday School class.

Additionally, Baxter spent much of his time being active in his children's, grandchildren and great-grandchildren's activities. This included being a Cub Scout leader and softball coach. His grandchildren consider him to be a second parent.

In his retirement years, he volunteered at Common Place in Peoria, as well as local nursing facilities, assisting residents to attend doctor appointments.

Baxter was an avid sports fan and often traveled to sporting events. His last night was spent watching his beloved White Sox team beat the Yankees twice in a twin bill. In 2022, he proudly witnessed his Georgia Bulldogs win the NCAA National Championship. Having taken up golf after retirement, a highlight of Baxter's life occurred while on a Scotland tour with Billie. Baxter took time away, while in Glasgow, to "meander" towards St. Andrews Golf Course. As he got close, he struck up a conversation with a gentleman working in his garage who had a set of golf clubs. Before the conversation was over, Baxter had a set of golf clubs to play with and a tee time at St. Andrews for the next morning. We always said Dad could get a "telephone pole" to talk.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 26, 2022, at Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria, Ill. Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, May 27, 2022, at Bethany Baptist Church in Edwards, Ill., with visitation from 10 to 10:45 a.m., prior to the service. Burial will follow at Swan Lake Memory Gardens in Peoria.

Memorials may be made to Jubilee Ministries Inc. of Peoria, Ill., or Bethany Baptist Church of Edwards, Ill.