The late City Councilman Robert Stites (left), at a Nov. 26 Allen Park City Council study session.
Charles Blevins likely successor
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – Recently elected City Councilman Robert Stites, 71, a retired police officer and active city volunteer, died Jan. 22, three weeks after the diagnosis of an aggressive form of cancer.
Stites, who thought he had bronchitis or pneumonia, was diagnosed on New Year’s Day.
Visitation will be from 2:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Allen Park Chapel of Martenson Family Funeral Home, 10915 Allen Road.. A rosary will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 26 at the same location. A funeral mass is planned for 10 a.m. Jan. 27 at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 9000 Laurence Ave.
Mayor Gail McLeod said the city charter indicates that the next highest city council candidate who was not elected, if willing, will be sworn in as the next council member, following a majority vote of the remaining council members at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
Charles Blevins, an Allen Park City Council candidate who was the first runner-up in the last election, will be sworn in at the Jan. 28 city council meeting.
Candidate Charles Blevins is expected to be sworn in at the Jan. 28 council meeting.
Stites, who grew up on Keppen in northern Allen Park, enlisted in the Army upon graduation from Melvindale High School, and served in Korea during the Vietnam War era.
Shortly after his military service ended, Stites joined the Allen Park Police Department. While serving as a police officer, he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
He was one of the founders of Allen Park’s Safety Town program, which teaches safety basics to young children. He was also a frequent volunteer at the police department’s booth at the city’s annual street fair.
Stites was a devoted University of Michigan fan, and often wore the maize and blue. He enjoyed the fall tradition of tailgating prior to football games.
McLeod said she first met Stites through his volunteer work for the city, which included the Street Fair and the Made in Michigan event.
“He gave many hours to these events, both in planning, setting up and serving,” McLeod said. “He was a key member of the Festivities Committee, deeply involved with our annual Street Fair, and played a huge role in the success of the DDA’s annual Made in Michigan event. He seemed to know so much about so many things and got things done.”
McLeod said she wished she had gotten to work with Stites and to have gotten to know him better.
“He left us much too soon,” she said. “Even in the brief period of time we worked together, I felt he was someone I could depend on and who would have made a major contribution to the advancement of our city. I am saddened by his passing and for his family’s loss.”
Stites leaves his wife, Melissa; his son, Bobby Stites, and daughter, Sarah Foss (John); his grandchild, Buchanan; siblings Charlene Vorva, Barbara Marsh, Janet Dragone (Pat), Kathy Berdich (late Dan) and Daniel Stites (Terri); and his brother-in-law Jerry Welsch. He was predeceased by his sister Donna Welsch.