Chester Ray Stitts

Portrait of Chester Ray Stitts, by way of Emerson Funeral Home.

Chester Ray Stitts died of COVID-19 on February 9, 2021, at the age of 55. Although Chester loved his hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas, he passed away far from home in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was shipped to a hospital after contracting the coronavirus. He was housed at the Federal Correctional Institution at Forrest City, Arkansas before he died. 

Chester was a loyal fan of the Dallas Cowboys. Whether it was watching the Cowboys, going swimming, or four-wheeling, he enjoyed bonding over recreational activities with his friends and family. His laugh was “larger than life,” according to a tribute left by Carl and Bamby Ashley in his obituary guestbook, and he played his music loud enough to earn the nickname of the Royal Rumble. 

Chester fought to preserve his life even before he was infected with the coronavirus. With no access to a lawyer, he filed a motion for compassionate release in August 2020, asking the Court to transfer individuals at greatest risk for COVID-19 to home confinement in accordance with the policies set out for the Federal Bureau of Prisons by then-Attorney General Barr.

Chester’s motion for compassionate release, by way of Alison K. Guernsey.

Allowing Chester to go home would have made so much sense, but the Court denied his motion on the grounds that he had not provided documentation of his medical conditions. We will never know if being transferred to home confinement would have prevented Chester's death, but we do know that he would not have been shipped out of state upon developing symptoms of COVID-19. If Chester tested positive at home, he would have been able to make his own decisions about his health care and remain close to his loved ones while quarantining.

Chester leaves behind two sons, Keevan and Dakoda, brothers Johnny, Otis, Roosevelt, and Willie, sisters Brenda and Mary, and many other family and friends. Chester was loved by many and will be deeply missed.

Time

A poem written by Shirley Anne McCulley, in memory of Chester

Grief ambushes in quiet moments

You haven't forgotten

It’s just one instant of hollow loss

Enjoying fireworks over open water

Listening to music

Reading Time

Only to be defeated by

Booming base or

A page of Cowboys' products

This is the new reality

No more Royal Rumbles

It didn't have to be like this

He asked for compassion

He pled for release

Too late to reconsider, Your Honor

Death's documentation has been provided

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Anguish will be ground down

And still

Grief will ambush

This memorial was written by MOL team member Shirley Anne McCulley with information from a press release from the Federal Bureau Of Prisons, an obituary from Emerson Funeral Home and a Twitter thread from Alison K. Guernsey.