Michael Duane McNitt went home to be his Lord during early February 21, 2024, after a long battle with Parkinson’s. Born on December 17, 1949. As a child, he contracted polio and scarlet fever; he graduated from high school two years late. He was the husband of Elizabeth (Betty) McNitt (Thomas), married in 1979. They had two sons, Duane of Wilmington and Thomas (Tom) of Marion, Indiana, and a granddaughter, Emberlee Rose McNitt. Besides his family, Michael leaves in mourning his five sisters; Callie Overstreet (William) of Richmond, Virginia, Diane Bays (Kenneth) of Riverton, West Virginia, Kopa Mattson of Elkridge, Maryland, Kim LaLonde (Timothy) of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and Robin McNitt of Stockton, California, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was a long-time resident of Wilmington.
Mr. McNitt was born in New Berlin, New York, and was three years old when his family moved to Delaware, settling in Newark. He retired from his work at the Christiana Hospital, after being diagnosed with the Parkinson’s. In high school, he lettered in Wrestling; he also enjoyed baseball and soccer! He enjoyed eating steak, spaghetti & meatballs, stromboli and lasagna. Michael was quite a joker, teasing when the opportunity would arise – or not! As a teenager, his three younger sisters used to follow him around like little puppies! Michael enjoyed gospel music, and he especially liked some of the old hymns, such as “The Old Rugged Cross”, “Amazing Grace” and “It Is Well with My Soul”. Among his favorite Bible verses was John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
A graveside memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 7th at 12:30 at the St. James Episcopal Church, 2 Augustine Street in Newport, Delaware. In lieu of flowers, Michael had requested to send donations to the BBFI (Attn: Tim LaLonde), P. O. Box 191, Springfield, MO 65801-0191 to support the missionary ministry of his sister and brother-in-law (per Betty).
Funeral arrangements were made by the McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware. (We thank you!)
