Mary Fitch

Born: March 10, 1933, Oxnard, California

Died: Feb. 19, 2024, Sonora, California

Mary Joyce Otten Fitch, 90, mother of long-time Mason Valley News and Leader-Courier reporter/editor/photographer Keith Trout, died Feb. 19, 2024, in Sonora, Calif., of complications related to Alzheimer’s disease.

A beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Mary was born March 10, 1933, in Oxnard, CA, to Albert and Mary Louise Otten. She was raised in Ventura and Santa Barbara, graduating from Santa Barbara High School, where she was a cheerleader, and then graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UC Santa Barbara in 1955.

Mary married her first husband Kenyon in June 1955 and they moved to San Jose, CA, where Mary began her teaching career while Kenyon worked on a master’s degree at San Jose State. They then moved to Hayward, CA, where Ken began his teaching career and they began their family, where Colleen and Karin were born. Mary and family moved to Twain Harte, CA, in 1958 when Ken began teaching at Sonora High School. Shortly thereafter Keith and Kelly were born. Mary and family lived in Twain Harte until 1970 when they moved to rural Sonora and where Mary’s last son, Kenyon Mark, was born.

Mary shortly thereafter began teaching at Sonora Elementary School. After a divorce, she married long-time Tuolumne County resident and rancher William Fitch in 1977 where she continued teaching and helped Bill with the Fitch sheep ranch. Mary was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, working as a pianist and teaching children while enjoying singing in the choir and temple work. Bill and Mary moved to Riddle, Oregon, in 1988, where they restored an old ranch house into their home. Mary substitute taught there and they continued operating the Fitch sheep ranch until Bill’s death in 1996.

Mary moved back to Twain Harte in 1998 to be closer to children and grandchildren, where she continued her love of gardening and working in her church, before moving to Jamestown and Sonora.

She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Mark (Robbie) in 2018, Ann (John) Caggiano in 2015 and Julie Raffety in 2016; and her husbands Ken and Bill. Mary is survived by her children Colleen Trout (Jay Goodwin), of Telluride, CO; Karin (Dan-d.) Baldwin of Turlock; Keith (Teri) of Yerington, NV: Kelly Mena (Anthony) of Moccasin, CA; and Kenyon of Lehi, UT; three stepchildren: Jerry Fitch (June) of Oklahoma; Karen Kuhlman (Matt) of Missouri; and Gary Fitch (Mary) of Missouri. She was also the proud grandmother of 27 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held in April 2 in Riddle, OR and a memorial service will be held at the Sonora chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 5, at 2 p.m.

The family requests donations in Mary’s memory be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) or to an education-related charity of your choice.