I'm sad to report that Past International President of the IBM, Bill Pitts, has passed at age 97. IBM Ring 75 in Fort Smith, AR is named after him, and he was instrumental in developing the "Cavalcade of Magic" convention that still takes place in Eureka Springs, AR. A Link to his obituary is below.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituari......11249675

I remember working with Ruth and him backstage at the IBM in Reno and Abbott's. I also worked a Masonic magician's gathering for him in Ft. Smith, Ark. Calvert was there and I was the opening act the night Lee Grabel worked.

I last talked to him about 10 years ago when I was working with Ken Klosterman. Unfortunately, his memory had failed him pretty much at that point. But a great guy who did a lot for magic over the years.

May he rest in peace.

Sad to hear, but 97 is a pretty good run. I didn't know Bill well, but knew Ruth extremely well. "The Fondas," Clark and Ruth were my original and primary mentors way back all those decades ago. I was very happy to know that Ruth found love again after Clark's passing, and Bill was a fine man for her. His mind was a sort of warehouse of magical information and he was a fascinating man to have conversations with, no matter how many tangents we strolled down. I hadn't talked with him since Ruth's passing, and Richard's note above regarding Bill's memory issues is a sad thing to hear. The guy's magical memory had been a wonderful thing to see in action.

He was the IBM President when I was born. In my teenage years, is when I first had the pleasure of meeting him for the first time. He let me use his table during a show once. Little did I know that it was a priceless antique. I of course proceeded to do a fire trick on top of it. Luckily it went well, and I didn't ruin his table! Later in life him and his lovely wife Ruth sponsored my membership to the IBM. So I am forever grateful for them!