Herbert P. Fitzgerald, 87, of Manchester, died October 25, 2014 at Hackett Hill Health Care Center after a period of declining health.
He was born in Queensport, Nova Scotia, Canada on October 21, 1927 to P. Kenneth and Gertrude (Pellerin) Fitzgerald. He grew up in St. John, New Brunswick and was a teacher in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. He then lived in Presque Isle, ME and in New Hampshire at Hudson and Manchester for many years. He was very proud of his Canadian heritage.
Herbert worked with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for 37 years. He was a Certified Life Underwriter and retired as a District Sales Manager after a career in which he earned recognition as a national sales leader.
He was active with the New Hampshire and national chapters of the American Cancer Society and was a board member of the Manchester Community Health Center. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, the national board of the Metropolitan Veterans Association and served several terms as president of the Nippo Lake Association in Barrington.
He enjoyed time spent at Nippo Lake and will be remembered as an organizer, builder and master negotiator. Above all, family was most important to him.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, whom he greatly missed, Elaine T. (Eagan) Fitzgerald in 2013; a son, David M. Fitzgerald in 1981; and siblings, Frederick Fitzgerald, Michael Fitzgerald and Mary Joan Gates.
The family includes five children, Daniel P. Fitzgerald and his wife, Joan Kenney and Timothy P. Fitzgerald all of Manchester, Kevin M. Fitzgerald and his wife, Marie Gross, of Bedford, John H. Fitzgerald and Holly Breault of Nashua and Ann L. Foley and her husband, Thomas, of Wakefield, RI; 11 grandchildren, Ryan P. Fitzgerald and his wife, Kayla, Chelsey L. Fitzgerald, Petty Officer 2nd Class, Brenna R. Fitzgerald, USN, Grace E. Fitzgerald, Patrick D. Fitzgerald, Kellen E. Fitzgerald, Kaitlin C. Fitzgerald, Matthew J. Fitzgerald, Liam J. Foley, Colin K. Fitzgerald and Kyla E. Foley; a great grandson, Jack Herbert Fitzgerald; two sisters, Patricia Yardley of Calais, ME and Sr. Judith Fitzgerald, NDSC of Moncton, NB; two brothers in law, David Eagan and his wife, Sharon, of Perth-Andover, NB and Phillip Eagan of Dartmouth, NS; a sister in law, Dr. Ruth Eagan of Perth-Andover, NB; and cousins, nieces and nephews
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at St. Joseph Cathedral Chapel, Manchester. Committal prayer followed at St. Joseph Cemetery, 448 Donald St., Bedford.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2 Commerce Dr., Suite 110, Bedford, NH 03110, or The Sturge-Weber Foundation, P.O. Box 418, Mt. Freedom, NJ 07970-0418, or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.