William `Napa Bill' Stitt, 67; Was Always Good For A Smile

Two things stood out about William Thomas Stitt, also known as "NAPA Bill": He could be counted on, and he could be counted on.

The Seattle native was a reliable NAPA Auto Parts employee, staffing phones and desks for 42 years.

But he also was reliably unpredictable in the things he did and in the way he amused people.

"He was a funny guy," said his son Will Stitt of Shoreline. "He made people laugh. For promotions they made a NAPA costume with a blue cape and the store logo on the chest. He wore it sometimes and they called him `Cap'n NAPA.' He was big so it made an impression."

He also used to square dance, bowl a 200 game for Lake City Elks teams and haul the family in a trailer to Northwest campgrounds. He was proud to do that for his children because his own Depression-era family couldn't afford such things. He worked his way through Seattle Preparatory School, from which he graduated in 1949.

Mr. Stitt died of a heart attack Saturday (April 5). He was 67.

From birth, Mr. Stitt did things his way. As a Boy Scout, when the older boys tried to "lose" him during a snipe hunt, he quickly found his way back to his tent, the older boys searching for him long into the night.

After high school he served in the Army, then got a job at Collier Motor Sales in South Seattle, an auto-parts store that evolved into NAPA. His mechanic father hadn't wanted him to have a career involving cars, but he did.

Customers called him "NAPA Bill" for his habit of answering the phone, "NAPA, Bill speaking."

At one point he learned to fly a floatplane but got in hot water for borrowing the rental plane to visit people who lived on Lake Washington.

"He liked to cause `trouble' all his life," said his son. "He was put in the wrong casket, then put in the right casket but with the wrong panel over him.

"As he lay there, my dad was smirking. I guess he still wants people to laugh. And we are."

Other survivors include his children Cynthia Stitt of Mountlake Terrace, Randy Stitt of Vancouver, B.C., and Valerie Batton of North Bend; his brother, Jim Stitt of Shoreline; his friend, Judy Berkman of Shoreline; and four grandchildren.

Funeral Mass was to be at 2 p.m. today at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 18033 15th Place N.E., Shoreline.

Memorials may go to Shoreline Medic One, 1016 N. 175th St., Shoreline, WA 98133; the North Shore Aid Car Fund, 18030 73rd Ave. N.E., Bothell, WA 98011; or the American Diabetes Association, Puget Sound Region, 557 Roy St., Lower Level, Seattle, WA 98109.