Merchant, postmaster, municipal official.
Born at Rossburn on 12 April 1893, son of Joseph Jackson Stitt (1860-1942) and Anne Stirling (1867-1964), he lived there for most of his life. As a young man, he worked as a dry goods salesman (1911) prior to living at the Kenmore Apartments in Winnipeg, during which time he worked as an accountant with the Eatons Mail Order Department. Having been involved with the 100th Regiment of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, he enlisted for military duties in June 1916 and saw service in the Royal Naval Air Service. Returning from the First World War, he established a general store in Rossburn and was Postmaster (1926-1961) and Mayor of Rossburn (1932-1949, 1960-1963).
On 1 August 1934, he married teacher Florence Laura “Viola” Rowe (1906-1995) at the Rural Municipality of Mossey River and had four sons: Melvin, Delroy, Robert, and Donald. A 16-year Secretary Treasurer of the Neepawa Chamber of Commerce, he was also a member of the Neepawa Flying Club, United Church, Orange Lodge, Odd Fellows, Masonic Lodge, and the Royal Canadian Legion.
Following retirement in 1963, he moved to Neepawa and there died at Neepawa Hospital on 11 January 1984 with burial in Riverside Cemetery.
Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1911 Canada Census, Automated Genealogy.
Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.
Death notice [Joseph J. Stitt], Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 1942, page 18.
Obituary [Joseph J. Stitt], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 August 1942, page 2.
Obituary [Anne Stirling Stitt], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 September 1964, page 21.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 28 January 1984, page 61.
Obituary [Florence Laura Viola Stitt], Winnipeg Free Press, 31 January 1995, page D7.
Post Office and Postmasters, Library and Archives Canada.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 24 July 2015
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
