After nearly a yearlong battle with cancer, Coni R. S. Fitch, 58, passed away in her sleep on Saturday Sept. 22, 2007, at her home in Bellevue, Wash. Coni leaves behind her husband of 31 years, Graham; daughter Cirstan; mother, Gladys; sister, Cheri; brother, Denzil; several nieces and nephews; and step children, Karen, Mike, Tom and Dana.
Coni is a past member of the Seattle Yacht Club, the Bellevue Athletic Club, Swedish Hospital Summit Club, Sun Valley Ski Club and the Seattle Tennis Club. Coni retired from United Airlines in 2005 after 36 years of service. She was a world-famous long distance motorcycle rider with trophies for numerous long distance endurance rides. She was one of the few motorcyclists that completed the "North American" ride going through every one of the lower 48 states, touching Mexico and crossing British Columbia, Canada, finishing in Hyder, Alaska. She completed the 11,000-mile ride in less than the required 10 days. Coni did the "Three Flags" endurance ride of 1,700 miles from Canada to Mexico in twenty-three hours and forty minutes. She was the first woman to do a CCC Solo ride by starting in San Diego, Calif., then riding to Jacksonville Fla., and without stopping, turning around and riding back to San Diego for a coast to coast to coast 7,000 mile ride in less than 100 hours.
Coni and Graham Fitch are the founders of Sun Valley's Labor Day Classic Car Auction, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this month. Mitch Silver is their partner in the auction.
Coni will be leaving many friends in Sun Valley, Idaho. She skied there for 35 years and had a second home there that she shared with Graham and Cirstan. Coni's display case was full of trophies with her most treasured being the gold medals she won in various ski races. Her funeral arrangements are being made by Bonney Watson and at her request are private.
A memorial reception for all those wishing to celebrate her life will be held at the Seattle Tennis Club, located at 922 McGilvra Blvd. East in Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. Coni has requested that any gifts or remembrances in her honor be sent to Swedish Hospital Medical Center at 747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98114, for the wonderful support the Swedish Doctors and Nurses gave her throughout the last year of her life. We will all miss her dearly, and we will forever cherish our memories of Coni and the fun she brought into our lives.
