06/06/2026
Hartselle Giver: Dr. Bob Sittason
The next Hartselle Giver is a very special man who in his own quiet way, without wanting any recognition, gave so much to his adopted Hartselle home. Doctor Robert Dare Sittason Jr. was born and raised in Decatur, but after coming to Hartselle in 1957 to open his dental practice, “Doc” as he was lovingly known, immersed himself in a variety of areas of Hartselle life. He quickly became active in Hartselle athletics and also supported his church and numerous civic activities.
My wife and I took a minute to name some adjectives that would describe Doctor Sittason. We came up with these: humble, honest, professional, compassionate, dedicated, caring, patient, mild-mannered, dependable, a man of his word, a good listener and a man of few words. Most of you could add several more. Doc did a lot behind the scenes that only a few people knew about. I’m sure that there are many more things I haven’t heard of but know that Coach Cain would take some of his football players and other students that needed dental work, but couldn’t afford it, to Doc and he would do the work at no charge. Some of Doc’s dental assistants have shared that he often did free work for other community members that could not pay. He also provided free mouth pieces for some athletes that needed them but, again, couldn’t buy them.
Let’s take a look at the life of this remarkable man: Robert Dare Sittason Jr. was born on June 27, 1928, in Morgan County to Robert D. Sittason and his wife, Glenn Garrison Sittason. Doc’s dad was an instructor in the machine shop at the Trade School. He grew up in Decatur. Doc attended Riverside High School, graduating in 1946 after playing three years of varsity football. Doc was very active in scouting, becoming an Eagle Scout. Following high school, he attended the University of Alabama, earning a degree in geology and chemistry in 1952. At the University, he was a member of the Jasons and Omicron Delta Kappa honorary orders and was vice-president of the Kappa Alpha fraternity.
He spent about two and a half years working for an oil refinery in Texas before returning to his home state to pursue dentistry. He enrolled in the University of Alabama School of Dentistry in Birmingham in 1953, graduating in 1957. Sittason was president of the student body at the dental school in 1956-7.
Professional Career in Hartselle
Dr. Sittason moved to Hartselle in 1957 to begin his dental career. Initially, he worked alongside Dr. Roland King at the Hartselle Dental Clinic for a few years before establishing his own successful independent practice. In 1960 he opened his own office in the rear of the Bean-Smith Drugstore (now Gilchrist Drugs). He served the dental needs of the community for nearly four decades. He retired in 1993, turning his beloved practice over to his son, Dr. David Sittason.
"Mr. Booster Club" and Hartselle Athletics
Dr. Sittason’s love for sports—instilled during his youth by legendary Decatur coach H.L. "Shorty" Ogle—translated into decades of tireless, behind-the-scenes support for Hartselle High School athletics.
• The Booster Club: In the late 1950s, alongside his lifelong friend and Hartselle football coach J.P. Cain, Sittason helped organize the first athletics booster club in Hartselle. He eventually earned the nickname "Mr. Booster Club". The Booster Club was instrumental in raising funds to build a new football stadium in 1964.
• Friday Night Fixture: For 30 years, Dr. Sittason was a fixture at Hartselle High home football games, dedicating his Friday nights to taking up money for car parking cars at our stadium for the Booster Club to raise money for our athletic programs.
• Facilities Development: He spearheaded community efforts in the 1970s to build a proper fieldhouse equipped with locker rooms and showers. In the late 1980s, he was major player in raising funds for a multi-purpose indoor practice facility. In recognition of his massive impact, the school named the building the "Dr. Robert Sittason Athletic Center".
For his dedication, he was honored with the second annual Richard Grammer Memorial Award in 1972 and was later inducted into the Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
Growing up in Hartselle and playing sports, one memory is that of Doc being at all our games. In the summer, it seemed that he never missed a night watching games at the American Legion Fields. He always made our football practices. At the time I didn’t think about it, but he must not have scheduled appointments late in the afternoons during football season.
Doc developed a friendship with Alabama head coach Paul “Bear’ Bryant and a very close friendship with Asst. Coach Gene Stallings. Coach Cain and Doc would take Coach Stallings to Bob Gibson’s to eat when he was on scouting trips to our area. Stallings loved barbeque. Due to these friendships both of these Alabama coaches spoke at our football banquets.
Civic Leadership and Humanitarian Work
Beyond the football field and the dental chair, Dr. Sittason was deeply embedded in the civic fabric of Hartselle.
• Community Organizations: He was a charter member of the Decatur Boys and Girls Club and a steadfast supporter of Habitat for Humanity.
• Rotary Club: He was a member of the Hartselle Rotary Club for 55 years, serving as a past president and receiving the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award.
• Meals on Wheels: Even in retirement, he dedicated time to his community, delivering Meals on Wheels for a decade.
• Economic Development: He also played a key role in the business community, helping to organize Hartselle's American Bank and Trust, which later became Regions Bank. He was a partner in Beeline Lanes Bowling Alley.
• Faith: A devoted member of the First United Methodist Church since 1957, he served on the Administrative Board and was highly active in financing and organizing the church's building programs.
• Scouting: An Eagle Scout himself, Doc was very active in starting and serving in scouting groups in Hartselle.
Family and Legacy
Dr. Sittason married his childhood sweetheart, Wendellyn "Wyn" Gray, in 1951, and they enjoyed 49 years of marriage until her passing in 2000. Together, they raised three sons: Randy, Bob, and David. A testament to their father's love of sports, all three sons played football for Hartselle and served as team captains during their senior years. David and Bob chose to live in Hartselle and added to the Sittason legacy in our town. Bob recently passed away, but David and his two sons, Blair and Payton, continue the Sittason dental practice.
Dr. Sittason passed away on April 9, 2012, at the age of 83. He left behind a legacy defined by profound, quiet generosity and an unwavering commitment to the youth and development of Hartselle.