(From Parker Mortuary)William Dot Letts, age 83, of Cape Girardeau, passed away Monday, May 2, 2022, after a courageous battle with lung cancer.
Dot was born November 16, 1938 in Stark City, Missouri to the late union of Loyd William Letts and Georgia Bernice Crawford.
After high school, he joined and honorably served in the United States Air Force.
On October 2, 1958 he married the love of his life, Elizabeth Kay Pettit. They shared countless memories and four children in their 58-year marriage before Kay passed on December 27, 2016. There wasn’t a day that went by he didn’t talk about Kay and how much he missed her.
Dot worked in the box factory at Atlas Powder Company for more than 30 years and retired in 2000. He was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, and he loved the casino, cars, and fishing. He loved to tell jokes and make people laugh. He had an amazing memory and could recite entire episodes of Andy Griffith, Everybody Loves Raymond, Big Bang Theory, Gun Smoke, and Friends. He was a skilled card player and was especially good at pitch, casino, and poker. He played the crossword every day and could solve any puzzle, even in the Sunday paper. He was an incredible cook, and his specialties included all kinds of soup, potato salad, and pineapple upside down cake.
Dot spent his final months of his life in the company of his loving family, playing cards with his siblings and his daughter Kristy, visiting with his son, Mark, and daughter, Kim, in Joplin. He never lost his fighting spirit, sharp wit, and good sense. He loved telling stories of his childhood, his time in the Air Force, his friends at Atlas, and his beloved wife and family. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten by those that adored him.
Dot was preceded in death by his father, Loyd, mother, Georgia, brother, Bobby Dale, his in-laws, Robert and Judy Pettit, his infant son, Michael, and his wife, Kay. He is survived by his three children, Mark Letts of Joplin, MO, Kim Letts of Grove, OK, and Kristy Robison and husband Paul of Cape Girardeau, MO; 11 grandchildren, Phillip (Desiree) Robison, Alyssa (Jeff) Brown, Alexandra (Alan) Rhodes, Megan (Austin) Gilbert, Molly (Zach) Vahldick, Hunter (Aleigh) Randall, Benjamin Robison, Hali Letts, Logan (Harley) Hill, Emma Robison, and Caroline Robison; 12 great-grandchildren, Sloan, Liam, Grant, Ezra, Jude, Oakleigh, Navy, Jovie, Ozzie, Greyson, Olivia, and Hugo; 8 siblings, Betty (Cecil, decd.) Clevenger, Clara (Richard) Simmons, Patsy (Everett) Shumate-Reynolds, Sharry (Rick) Stout, Bradley (Jackie) Letts, Steven (Cathy) Letts, Timothy (Carla) Letts, Charles (Deon) Letts; cousin, Kenneth (Esther, decd.) Mahurin, who was like a brother to him; and many nieces, nephews, and treasured friends.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Dot and Kay were long-time supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Please feel free to donate in their memory.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.
Dot worked in the box factory at Atlas Powder Company for more than 30 years and retired in 2000. He was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, and he loved the casino, cars, and fishing. He loved to tell jokes and make people laugh. He had an amazing memory and could recite entire episodes of Andy Griffith, Everybody Loves Raymond, Big Bang Theory, Gun Smoke, and Friends. He was a skilled card player and was especially good at pitch, casino, and poker. He played the crossword every day and could solve any puzzle, even in the Sunday paper. He was an incredible cook, and his specialties included all kinds of soup, potato salad, and pineapple upside down cake.
Dot spent his final months of his life in the company of his loving family, playing cards with his siblings and his daughter Kristy, visiting with his son, Mark, and daughter, Kim, in Joplin. He never lost his fighting spirit, sharp wit, and good sense. He loved telling stories of his childhood, his time in the Air Force, his friends at Atlas, and his beloved wife and family. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten by those that adored him.
Dot was preceded in death by his father, Loyd, mother, Georgia, brother, Bobby Dale, his in-laws, Robert and Judy Pettit, his infant son, Michael, and his wife, Kay. He is survived by his three children, Mark Letts of Joplin, MO, Kim Letts of Grove, OK, and Kristy Robison and husband Paul of Cape Girardeau, MO; 11 grandchildren, Phillip (Desiree) Robison, Alyssa (Jeff) Brown, Alexandra (Alan) Rhodes, Megan (Austin) Gilbert, Molly (Zach) Vahldick, Hunter (Aleigh) Randall, Benjamin Robison, Hali Letts, Logan (Harley) Hill, Emma Robison, and Caroline Robison; 12 great-grandchildren, Sloan, Liam, Grant, Ezra, Jude, Oakleigh, Navy, Jovie, Ozzie, Greyson, Olivia, and Hugo; 8 siblings, Betty (Cecil, decd.) Clevenger, Clara (Richard) Simmons, Patsy (Everett) Shumate-Reynolds, Sharry (Rick) Stout, Bradley (Jackie) Letts, Steven (Cathy) Letts, Timothy (Carla) Letts, Charles (Deon) Letts; cousin, Kenneth (Esther, decd.) Mahurin, who was like a brother to him; and many nieces, nephews, and treasured friends.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Dot and Kay were long-time supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Please feel free to donate in their memory.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.
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