Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 20, 1992 TAG: 9202190376
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
OBIT HITE, B.
HITE, BENTLEYBentley Hite, son of William Ballard Preston Hite and Martha Virginia Scott Hite, age 91, passed away on the 18th day of February, 1992. He is survived by his devoted wife, Cassandra Harman Hite; his daughter, Martha Ann Hite Tant, and son-in-law, Martin R. Tant; his daughter, Cassandra Scott Hite Olsen, and son-in-law, Paul S. Olsen; and two grandchildren, Christian Bentley Olsen and Meredith Hite Olsen. Among his many dedicated and patriotic services to the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Virginia and his community, Mr. Hite was a member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar, since July 14, 1928; he was an educator and athletic coach in the Montgomery County Public Schools in the late 1920's; he served two terms of office as Commonwealth's Attorney for Montgomery County, Virginia during the 1930's; he was a four year veteran of World War II, having served with distinction and commendation as a Commander in the United States Navy on multiple assignments, the most notable of which was his participation as the commander of the Destroyer USS Hutchins in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Republic of the Philippines for which he received multiple decorations, for bravery, intrepidity and gallantry under fire; after the war he later retired from the United States Naval Reserve; an active Republican, Mr. Hite served in multiple political positions on local, state and national levels, and was elected to a term of office representing the City of Radford, and Montgomery County in the Virginia House of Delegates. Among his varied and extensive civic service, Mr. Hite served as a Boy Scout Leader; a member of the Rotary International holding all the offices therein, including a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International; Charter member of the Christiansburg Chamber of Commerce; a member and past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Christiansburg since 1936; past president of the Montgomery, Radford, Floyd Bar Association; and many other notable and distinguished services to his community, state, and nation. Mr. Hite was an active member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Christiansburg and a member of the Snowville Christian Church which he attended since his earliest youth; and a thirty-second Degree Mason and a sixty-year member of McDaniel Masonic Lodge. A Masonic Service will be conducted in the Richardson-Horne Chapel at 8:00 p.m. Thursday by McDaniel Lodge #86 AF & AM to which the public is welcome. The funeral will be 2:00 p.m. Friday from the St. Paul United Methodist Church conducted by the Rev. Richard Geoghegan, Jr., and the Rev. Vernon D. Miller. Interment, with Military honors will follow in Sunset Cemetery. Pallbearers for Mr. Hite are Carl N. McNeil, Gabriel Hieronymi, Michael C. Maxey, Lewis I. Jeffries, Henry A. Whitehurst, Daniel D. Hamrick, Josiah T. Showalter, Jr., and Samuel Tollison. Honorary pallbearers are the Honorable Judges James C. Turk, Sr., United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, Kenneth I. Devore, Duane E. Mink, Circuit Court Judges for the Twenty-Seventh Judicial Circuit, J. Patrick Graybeal, Thomas J. Frith, Ray W. Grubbs, G. Garland Wilson, Retired, and J.C. Snidow, Jr., Retired, General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judges for the Twenty-Seventh Judicial Circuit, and the members of the Christiansburg-Blacksburg Evening Rotary Club. The family will receive friends from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the Richardson-Horne Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers the family, specifically pursuant to Mr. Hite's wishes, requests that donations be made in remembrance of him and that for which he dedicated his life to either the Christiansburg Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 176, Christiansburg, Va. 24073 or The Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, S.C. 29605. Friends may call anytime Thursday and also Friday morning at the Richardson-Horne Funeral Home.