SSgt. Oscar J. "O.J." Sitzes

Oscar J. (Gene) Sitzes went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, May 15, 2010. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene, TX with Rev. Stan Allcorn and Rev. Jack Ridlehoover officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene, TX.

Oscar J. (Gene) Sitzes was born December 30, 1923, in Pilot Point, Texas to Oscar Olen Sitzes and Beulah Worley Sitzes. He graduated from high school in 1940 and enrolled in North Texas State Teachers College. O.J. proudly served his country during World War II from 1943-1946 as a crewmember on C-46s flying supplies over the HUMP in the China-Burma-India Theater. He was with the 13th Combat Cargo Squadron and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with the two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Asian-Pacific Award with three Bronze Battle Stars. Through the years he continued to be active in the annual convention and reunion of the 13th Combat Cargo Squadron.

Returning to college after the war, he completed his Bachelor Degree in 1948 and his Masters Degree in 1953 from North Texas State Teacher's College. O.J. taught school and was an elementary principal for two years in Pilot Point and two years in Ruidoso, New Mexico. In 1953 he joined American Book Company as a publisher's representative and worked as a salesman in Texas and other southern states for twenty years.

In 1956, O.J. married the love of his life, Catherine Huggins of Quitman, Mississippi and moved to Abilene, Texas. It was in Abilene that they planted their roots and began their family and raised two children, Dr. Jean Sitzes Haseman and Steve Sitzes. Dr. Jean Sitzes Haseman has three children; Will Haseman, Catherine Haseman, and Jack Haseman all of Evansville, Ind. Steve Sitzes and wife Julianne Sitzes have three sons; Zach Sitzes of Ft. Worth, TX, Zane Sitzes of Abilene, TX, and Tyler Sitzes, of Waco, TX. Also to be remembered is deceased son-in-law, Dr. Joseph Haseman.

During 1968, O.J. and Catherine started Abilene Portable Buildings, which has served Abilene and the surrounding area for 42 years and is now operated by his grandson, Zane Sitzes. O.J. and Steve constructed and opened their first self-storage facility, Sitzes Self Storage on Jeanette Street in 1985. As of 2010, they have constructed and operate five self-storage facilities in the Abilene area. His entrepreneurial spirit never waned, continuing to go to his office up to the day before he died.

O.J. was a member of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church where he served as an usher and greeter for many years. He was a member of Masonic Lodge #270 for 50 years and the Veterans of Foreign Wars #2012.

O.J. was very proud of his military history, our troops, the businesses that he started, but most of all he was proud of his heritage and his family. He had an incredible passion and joy for life that overflowed to all who knew and loved him. His family will dearly miss hearing the stories of growing up in Pilot Point and his adventures that spread over a lifetime. His legacy will live on in each one of us and we rejoice in a life well lived.He is the foundation and example for his family.

We rest in knowing he is with his Savior and he is rejoined to his beloved wife Catherine Huggins Sitzes who preceded him in death.

The family request memorials to be directed to The Mission, P.O. Box 7550, Abilene, TX 79608.