Son of William Monroe Fite and
Lucy Jane Elgar, was born Nov. 28, 1886, near Cloudcroft, N.
Mex., in what is now Otero County. His parents soon moved to Hope, N.
Mex., where Burton lived on the farm until about a year after his
mother's death, when he was seven years old. He then lived in the
Sacramento Mountains with friends of the family for about six years,
when he "went on his own", spending some of the winters in La Luz where
he lived with his brother Flennoy, and went to school. Most of the time
he worked as cowboy until the fall of 1907 when he left the ranch and
entered school at the New Mexico A & M College. He graduated with a B.
S. degree, majoring in Agriculture in 1915 and took his Masters degree
in 1924.In spite of the fact that he worked his entire way through college, Burton was most active in student activities. Among other things he was Vice-President of the Agricultural Club, a member of the Student Commission for four years, President of the Columbian Literary Society, President of the Y. M. C. A., member of the Debating Team, Business Manager of the Athletic Association, President of the Alpha Pi Alpha Fraternity, President of the Senior Class and Class Orator.
Burton was married Dec. 27, 1917, in Lawton, Okla., to Mabel H. Harper. After graduating from college Burton followed a professional career until his retirement in 1947. His professional career was quite well summarized by the Editor of "The New Mexico Stockman", a state Livestock magazine, from which we quote:
"A. B. Fite", since 1940 was Director of the Extension Service at New Mexico A. & M College, retired from active educational work after forty years of connection with New Mexico A. & M. as student, teacher and executive, during which he has performed outstanding service to agricultural education and to the cause of practical advancement of junior and senior agriculture throughout New Mexico.
Under his direction the New Mexico Extension Service has been brought to its highest state of efficiency since its establishment.
Fite is a native son of New Mexico. He was born in Cloudcroft, N. Mex., in Otero County, in 1886; was reared on a farm and ranch and left a cattle ranch in the upper Jornada in the fall of 1907 to enter the then struggling New Mexico A.& M. College to secure his education. He has been with the college in some capacity ever since. At his entrance, the college maintained a preparatory or High School division so that both Fite's preparatory and college work were done there. Finding it necessary to work his way through college, he was given a job in 1912 as student assistant in horticulture, work he continued until his graduation in 1915. After graduation Mr. Fite continued his work in horticulture for 20 years, doing teaching and research work in fruits and vegetables. During those years he was author of 20 experiment station bulletins on various phases of horticulture and insect control. Among his contributions was the major part he had in the development of both the yellow and white Grano onion, which has become famous throughout the west and in demand in all national market stands which has been worth many millions of dollars to growers in the southwestern area.
Fite left the experiment station in 1935 to become extension horticulturist which gave him an opportunity to carry to the farmers of the state the results of his extensive research work, an opportunity of which he made good use. He gave up his work in horticulture in 1937 to become County Agent Leader and in 1940 became Director of Extension. In the Director's position, Mr. Fite has extended close and efficient cooperation to all branches of the state's livestock industry and building a stronger livestock program in the extension service. He has seldom missed a convention of either the cattle or wool growers association and has worked closely with livestock leadership throughout the state.
Mr. Fite has taken particular interest in expanding the 4-h club program in New Mexico and has been a major force in bringing about the large and active membership now existing. Mr. Fite has been in declining health for several years past, which led to his retirement from active educational work.
During World War II , in addition to his regular work as Director of the State Agricultural Extension Service, with its extra assignments, Burton served as Vice Chairman of the State War Board, Chairman of the State Agricultural Planning Board, Member of the State Conservation Committee, Vice Chairman of the State Rural Rehabilitation Committee, Associate member of the Dona Ana County Draft Board, and at the end of the war he received a nice Certificate of Service Award signed by the Adjutant General, the Governor of New Mexico and Harry Truman, President of the United States.
On retirement from the position of Director of the Extension Service, Burton received several presents and awards among which was a fine Gruen watch, presented by a farm organization; a bronze plaque citation, for outstanding service to 4-H Clubs, presented by the State 4-H Leaders; a large easy chair from the state office force; and a very attractive Distinguished Service Award Certificate, presented by the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, which read as follows: "This is to certify that A. B. Fite is hereby awarded this certificate in recognition of outstanding service beyond ordinary duties and normal responsibilities to New Mexico Agriculture. This service having been performed as a result of an unselfish desire to advance the wellbeing of farm people", signed by the secretary and president of the Bureau.
Burton and Mabel retired to their 30 acre irrigated farm, three miles from the College which is devoted to the growing of fruit and cotton.
, was born Nov. 21,
1895, at Darlington, Okla.. She is the daughter of Rev. Richard H. Harper,
D.D., and his wife Ella May Boggs. Mabel comes from a family of ministers.
Her parents spent their lives as Indian Missionaries in New Mexico and
Okla.. Her Grandfather Harper and his three sons were all ministers. They
came from Plymouth, England in 1882. Her Grandfather Harper was a pioneer
missionary in Kansas and Colorado, and built the first Congregational Church
in Wichita, Kansas. He died in Cortez, Colorado in 1892, and is buried
there. Her Grandfather Boggs was also a pioneer missionary in Kansas and
built the first church in Wichita of which he was pastor. He hauled lumber
by ox team, from Topeka, to build the first frame house in Wichita, Kansas.
At the Centennial celebration of the First Presbyterian Church of Wichita, a
few years ago, a monument was erected to his memory. Her Great grandfather
Boggs was pastor of one Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania for fifty years.
Her Great-Great Grandfather Boggs was also a minister. Mabel attended New
Mexico A. & M. College and taught school in New Mexico and Oklahoma until
she and Burton were married.
Oldest son of
Son of
Daughter of Arra Burton
Fite and Mabel Harper, was born June 15, 1922, at State College, N. Mex..
Burta graduated from the Las Cruces Union High School and New Mexico A & M
College. She was a leader in student activities, and was Junior Prom Queen
in High School. In her senior year of college she was President of the
Inter-Church Student Council; Secretary of the International Relations Club;
Member of Home Economics Club, Pep club, church choir and pledge in the Zeta
Tau Alpha Sorority. While in her senior year she married Robert W. Gray, a
former student at New Mexico A & M College who took C.A.A. training; was
aircraft inspector and received his wings and commission as 2nd Lt. in the
Army Air Corps in July 1942. Robert Gray, son of Rev. and Mrs. W. F. Gray of
Las Cruces, N. Mex., was born Sept. 29, 1920 in Hot Springs, N. Mexico. He
and Burta were married July 5, 1942 in Las Cruces. Robert flew across the
Atlantic in his B-26 bomber, landing in Africa, where he took part in the
battle for North Africa. He was shot down over the Sicilian Straits and he
and his crew lost their lives Mar. 22, 1943. Robert was cited by his
commanding officer, Maj. Robert R. McCord, as follows: Lt. Gray displayed
utmost courage and determination, flying at mast level in the face of an
intense anti-aircraft fire; his plane was severely damaged by a succession
of direct hits. Resolutely maintaining formation, he continued on over the
convoy in a bomb run which destroyed a light cruiser and a merchantman, and
damaged several other vessels before his plane was shot down into the sea.
After Robert was lost, Maj. Robert Darling of Kirtland Field presented Burta
with the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal, in recognition of
Robert's service.
Daughter of
Arra Burton Fite and Mabel Harper was born Feb. 2,1925 at State College, N.
Mex. Bernice finished Las Cruces High School during the War and worked for a
time as secretary for the Army in Oregon and Washington. She returned for a
term of school at New Mexico A. & M. College, then worked for the Soil
Conservation Service for a summer, and enrolled in the University of New
Mexico at Albuquerque. She was Senior Prom Queen in High School; pledge
president of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, at the University and a member of
the newspaper staff at N. M. U.. While in school at the University she met
Henry McDonald Willis Jr., a Navy student at the University, and roommate of
Ed Kilian. Bernice and "Hank" were married in Albuquerque Oct. 21, 1945.
Henry McDonald Willis, .Jr., was born in Fayetville, Tennessee, Apr. 19,
1925. He joined the Navy in July 1943 and after receiving his commission as
Ensign at the N. M. U.was assigned to the Ship U.S.S. PC 1243, under Admiral
Chester Nimitz, Commander of the Marianas, Pacific War theatre. Hank was
discharged July 19,1946, and graduated from New Mexico A.& M. College in
1947 in Business Administration. While attending the University, Hank was a
member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, President of the Student Senate and Business
Manager of the school paper. After his graduation from College Hank worked
as manager of a Sporting Goods Store in Las Cruces until 1949, when he was
employed at Sandia Base in Test Operations, Field Test Dept., Sandia
Corporation. Bernice and Hank have two children: