William Gene Fitchett, 86, of Landaff, NH, passed away peacefully at his home on June 5, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was born in Lisbon on February 25,1940 to Eva (Parent) Fitchett and William Defosse.

He was the husband of Janice (Wentworth) Fitchett; they were married on March 22, 1958, in Wells River, V.T. They made their home in Lisbon, N.H., and together they raised three daughters, Sandra Jean, Arlene Marie, and Linda Lee Fitchett. After high school he worked in construction for a short time and as a mechanic. Later on, he was employed by the Lisbon Shoe Co. and Sugar Hill Furniture, (now D.C.I.), in Lisbon. In the late 70's he opened Mill Brook Motors with his brother-in-law David Wentworth. Together they operated the business for eight years before selling it. He was employed by New England Wire Tech. in Lisbon in 1986 as a maintenance worker until his retirement in 2002. He loved working on cars and was known for his excellent body work and was always working on a car at his home.

His pride and joy was owning and restoring a 1969 Buick Wildcat hardtop sedan that once belonged to his late mother. In 2010 he won a first-place trophy given him by the White Mountain Cruisers in the classic car portion of the Lisbon Lilac Time parade. He was a hard worker and was always busy with some sort of project either at home or for someone else. He was always willing to help and was very knowledgeable in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical installations. He was also an active member of the Lisbon Church of the Nazarene and rarely missed a service.

William is survived by his wife of 68 years, Janice Fitchett, his three daughters and their spouses, Sandra (John) Towle of Lisbon, Arlene (David) Spreadbury of N. Haverhill, and Linda Fitchett of Lisbon. He also leaves behind 8 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren with a new great-grandson to be born in the fall, and many nieces and nephews.

He is pre-deceased by his mother, Eva Fitchett and his father, William Defosse, stepfather, Clarence Fitchett, brother, Henry Varney, and his sister, Bonnie Evans.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, June 15 at Phaneuf Funeral Home on Union St. in Littleton, N.H. at 11:00 AM. A committal service will immediately follow the funeral at Grove Hill Cemetery, in Lisbon. There will be no calling hours. Those who wish may make a memorial contribution may do so to: North Country Home Health and Hospice,536 Cottage St., Littleton, N.H.,03561, or the Lisbon Life Squad.

Assisting the family with arrangements is Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium.

To view William’s Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.phaneuf.net.