Eugene F. Fitzgerald, 90, formerly of Greenville, SC died on April 13, 2015 in Tiverton, RI from complications of Parkinson’s disease.
Born in Jersey City, NJ to Arthur and Anna (O’Rourke) Fitzgerald, he grew up in Ridgefield Park, NJ as the oldest of five children. Upon graduation from Xavier High School in New York, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, earning the Bronze Star for action in the Pacific during WWII. He then attended Georgetown University on a basketball and football scholarship, graduating with a degree in Foreign Service. Following college, he met and married Ellen O’Connor, who would remain his true partner for 64 years. They moved to Chicago where Fitz worked as an FBI fraud specialist, before returning to New Jersey where he began a successful career as an insurance executive. Seven children and many relocations later, they settled in Greenville, SC. After decades of business suits and airports, Fitz retired and bought a peach farm outside Greenville, spending the next five years learning the ways of a gentleman farmer. Naturally athletic, Fitz shared his love of skiing and water skiing with his children, spending many family vacations either in the mountains or on a lake. He was always a friend to the poor and those who could not help themselves, generously volunteering with the Greenville Free Medical Clinic, Guardian Ad Litem, United Ministries, Board of Directors of Catholic Charities of S.C., Greenville Literacy Society, and the Citizen Advisory Board-Greenville Hospital Systems.
Survivors include his wife, Ellen (nee O’Connor); sister, Olive Hannabury; children Tim (Janet), Gene (Anita), Maura (Craig Andrews), John, Ann (Michael Smarr), and Katie (Michael Sudofsky). He was beloved Papa to Meagan Pieper, Ryan and Ellie Fitzgerald, Colleen, Patrick, and Brendan Andrews, and Alexei, Julian, Sofia, Natasha, and Mariana Sudofsky.
He was predeceased by his daughter, Ellen.
Fitz, we will forever miss your keen sense of humor, wisdom, courage, and humility.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, April 27th at 10 AM in St. Rita’s Church, 113 Front St., Marion, MA. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at www.michaeljfox.org.