Charles R. Sitter (-2008)

Charles “Chuck” Sitter, former President of Exxon Corporation, passed away on Monday, July 21, 2008 at the age of 77. He was born in West Virginia, the second of eight children, to Vivian and Erwin Sitter. He was raised in Cumberland, Maryland, where he attended La Salle High School. He played varsity basketball and football for four years at La Salle, and graduated as Valedictorian and President of the class of 1949. During high school he attended the American Legion’s Boy’s State and Boy’s Nation, where he was elected Governor and US Senator for Boy’s State for Maryland.

Chuck attended Frostburg State College where he received an Associate of Arts degree. He then worked for the US Government in Washington, DC, including for the US State Department. While serving in the Marine Corps Reserves, and working at the US State Department, Chuck finished his undergraduate studies at George Washington University (GWU). In 1954 he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs with special honors. He received a Phi Beta Kappa Key. In 1996 he received a Distinguished Alumni Achievement award from GWU.

In August of 1954 he married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie Ann Miller, in Cumberland, MD. They later had three children, Cindy, Dianna and Douglas.

Chuck served two years in active duty in the Marine Corp (1954-1956) as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was stationed first at Camp Pendleton, and later in Okinawa, Japan.

In January 1956 Chuck started a Masters degree at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He graduated in 1957 with a Masters Degree in International Law and Diplomacy. Immediately following the completion of his studies, Chuck went to work for Exxon (Esso Export in New York City) as a financial analyst. He had numerous assignments over his almost 40 years of service to Exxon, including foreign assignments in Japan, India, Australia and the United Kingdom. In 1985 he was named a Director and Senior VP of Exxon Corporation, and then became President of Exxon Corporation in 1993. He retired in 1996.

His other activities included service as an Outside Director of the Prudential Financial Corporation, a Board Member for Tulane University, a member of the Board of Advisors of the Fletcher School, a member of the Board of Overseers of the Hoover Institution and a member of the International Council for The Elliott School of George Washington University.

Chuck’s charitable interests included The Presbyterian Hospital Foundation o ...

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Charles “Chuck” Sitter, former President of Exxon Corporation, passed away on Monday, July 21, 2008 at the age of 77. He was born in West Virginia, the second of eight children, to Vivian and Erwin Sitter. He was raised in Cumberland, Maryland, where he attended La Salle High School. He played varsity basketball and football for four years at La Salle, and graduated as Valedictorian and President of the class of 1949. During high school he attended the American Legion’s Boy’s State and Boy’s Nation, where he was elected Governor and US Senator for Boy’s State for Maryland.

Chuck attended Frostburg State College where he received an Associate of Arts degree. He then worked for the US Government in Washington, DC, including for the US State Department. While serving in the Marine Corps Reserves, and working at the US State Department, Chuck finished his undergraduate studies at George Washington University (GWU). In 1954 he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs with special honors. He received a Phi Beta Kappa Key. In 1996 he received a Distinguished Alumni Achievement award from GWU.
In August of 1954 he married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie Ann Miller, in Cumberland, MD. They later had three children, Cindy, Dianna and Douglas.

Chuck served two years in active duty in the Marine Corp (1954-1956) as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was stationed first at Camp Pendleton, and later in Okinawa, Japan.

In January 1956 Chuck started a Masters degree at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He graduated in 1957 with a Masters Degree in International Law and Diplomacy. Immediately following the completion of his studies, Chuck went to work for Exxon (Esso Export in New York City) as a financial analyst. He had numerous assignments over his almost 40 years of service to Exxon, including foreign assignments in Japan, India, Australia and the United Kingdom. In 1985 he was named a Director and Senior VP of Exxon Corporation, and then became President of Exxon Corporation in 1993. He retired in 1996.

His other activities included service as an Outside Director of the Prudential Financial Corporation, a Board Member for Tulane University, a member of the Board of Advisors of the Fletcher School, a member of the Board of Overseers of the Hoover Institution and a member of the International Council for The Elliott School of George Washington University.

Chuck’s charitable interests included The Presbyterian Hospital Foundation of Dallas, where his donation established the Charles R. Sitter Chair in Parkinson and Movement Disorders at the Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. The family wishes to acknowledge and thank Dr. Malcolm Stewart, current holder of the Sitter Chair, for his outstanding care for and kindness toward Chuck and the family during Chuck’s long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Chuck’s charitable contributions included GWU, the Fletcher School and the Hoover Institution and involvement with Junior Achievement.

Chuck’s favorite hobby was photography. His underwater photographs were proudly displayed in his office at Exxon as well as at home. His photographs from a safari in Africa were also especially important to him. He loved to travel and recorded almost all of his trips with photographs and “stick pins” on a map of the world.

Chuck is survived by: his former wife, Marjorie; his three children Cindy, Dianna, and Douglas; three grandchildren and two step-grandchildren; and six of his seven brothers and sisters (and their children and grandchildren). A private family-only memorial service will be held at a future date. Condolences may be posted on this website or sent to: The Family of Charles Sitter, PO Box 416, Bellaire, TX 77402. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Chuck’s name to the National Parkinson Foundation (www.parkinson.org) or The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (www.pdf.org ) or the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation (www.texashealth.org )

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