By Savannah Singletary
It is never too late to find your passion. Vater Fite found hers at age 65. ‘Gran’ as her family called her, found her talents late in life but that didn’t stop her from having a fulfilled career. She lived to be 104 anyway.
Born on September 28, 1914 in Carthage, Texas to Selma “Big Momma” and Marvin “Big Daddy” Conners. Fite, a granddaughter of a slave, grew up in East Texas until she moved to California in 1939. While in California, she trained to become a welder. Working on the battleships in a Naval Shipyard; she helped turn World War II around.
“I wear that badge with honor,” Fite beams. “Not only am I a woman, but a black woman at that. Who’da thunk a woman could do anything a man could, and probably even better. Women weren’t really allowed to be welders back then. So that was already a strike against me. And me being black? That’s strike two…I was almost out of the game.”
During her second marriage is when she packed her bags to move from California to Maywood Illinois and stayed there until she retired in 1979. Briefly moved to Texas to take care of her ailing mother. Fite finally moved back to Oak Park to be close with her personal family: her son, his children and great grands.
Being retired meant nothing to Vater. At 65, Fite began taking lessons at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She stretched out her own canvases and personally did her own framing. She also had a knack for sculpting too. Her artwork is displayed throughout Chicago and Oak Park, such as the library, village hall and parks.
“The beautiful signs and sights and sounds of nature never cease to amaze me and I love to paint the places and things I’ve seen. My world is one of color and sights that give me hope…All life is art to me.”
When she turned 97, Fite got her first passport to become a world traveler. Going on family vacations, she jumped from country to country: the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Turks and Caicos. Along with being a painter, she also was a photographer, kept her Canon strapped to her chest at all times. Capturing all that the eye could see, she used those photo to persevere memories for herself and then turn them into painting so others can gain a small taste of the scenery and wildlife Fite experienced first hand.
But she didn’t stop there. Why just stick to two talents? At 84, Fite taught herself how to play the violin. Playing “Oh, Susanna” and spirituals to anyone that would listen.
Vater Fite. A woman who knew no bounds.
On January 27, 2019, Fite passed away. This extraordinary woman took advantage of every year she was put on this earth for; for 104 years people were going to know exactly who Vater Fite is.
“Baby, you don’t get to where I am without the love of those surrounding you. And spread your love too. Give as much love as you can, so when one you are gone all you can do is smile.”
