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BORN

1926

DIED

2014

Linda Fitzgerald Obituary


Linda Fitzgerald

1926 - 2014

Linda Fitzgerald, 88, died on January 19, 2015, exactly one month short of the 20th anniversary of the death of her husband Jim. She passed away at Welcome Home, a wonderful place where she had lived for a little over a year. Born Nov. 18, 1926 in Illinois, she was the second daughter of Fay H Montgomery and his first wife, Helen de Jersey Montgomery. Her name at birth was Yvonne Alinda Montgomery, which was later shortened to Linda.

When Linda was two, her mother suffered a nervous breakdown and was separated from her first two daughters for the remainder of her life. Linda's father moved the family first to New Mexico to stay with his older sister, then after he remarried, the family moved to California, where three more children joined the family. Linda attended California schools, including Sequoia High School in Redwood City and San Jose State College, where she met her future husband, James Robert Fitzgerald, son of Thomas and Ruth Petrie Fitzgerald. The two were married on Aug. 20, 1949 in San Carlos, where Jim had grown up.

While Jim, a veteran of the Marine Corps, attended San Jose State, Linda taught first at David Starr Jordan, putting her PE major to good use, and later at San Jose State College, where she taught tennis, swimming, and physical fitness.

Jim finished college with a teaching credential, and got a job at Enterprise High School in Redding in 1956, during its second year of operation. He taught Industrial Arts, later moving into special education, and would spend his entire teaching career there, until 1988 when he retired. Meanwhile, Linda was excited about starting life in a new community. While raising her two little girls, who had been born in San Jose in 1952 and 1954, she threw herself into a variety of local organizations, including Newcomers, where she met people who would become her lifelong friends; AAUW, where she also met many friends and found women who were eager to volunteer and improve Redding; and Story League, where she worked with others to tell stories weekly at the library, on television (when KRCR was new and needed content to fill its broadcast hours) and in school classrooms. She and Jim were also founding members of the Racquet Club, which is now Sun Oaks Tennis and Fitness, where they b! oth spent many happy hours swimming and playing tennis, and even racquet ball.

In 1962, their son was born, and Linda began a whole new round of 'small child activities,' including taking part in Redding Cooperative Preschool, which was conveniently located near the Mary Street Tennis Courts. She also began teaching at Shasta College "night school," where she taught typing nearly continuously from 1963 until 1988, when she and Jim retired.
Over the years, Linda and Jim were involved in a number of 'causes,' including the 1970 effort of the Pit River Indians to regain their tribal lands, and later they were active members of Beyond War.
Linda was definitely a story teller. In fact, we used to tease her by saying, "Mom remembers everything, whether it happened or not." Her stories were always detailed and interesting, whether she was retelling a previously written story, or ad-libbing a memory. Her favorite fact-based stories included the exploits she and the horse Cactus enjoyed when she was in her late teens. A favorite folk tale was "The Cow Tale Switch," which involves a long-lost father and a young child who asks, "Where is my father?" which leads to a search for him, and the resulting moral, "A man is not dead until he is forgotten."

It was this moral that led her to search for her own mother in the 1990s, when she hired a genealogist, and at last found out what had happened to her mother, and met a half sister and half brother she'd never known about, as well as several first cousins, all of whom enriched her life over the years.

Besides the years when she was raising her children, the years when she got to spend time with her young grandchildren were Linda's favorite. From hunting tadpoles, to teaching the kids to play tennis, to riding horseback, to watching vintage movies, the activities were varied and created lasting memories for all.

Jim died in 1995, after 45 years of marriage, and a few years later, after some health challenges, Linda left the family acreage she and Jim had tended for decades since their arrival in Redding, and moved into a small house in Redding, from which she could volunteer at Rother School, take aqua aerobics and yoga classes at Sun Oaks, and continue the tradition of hiring her grandchildren to do her yard work.

Linda was predeceased by her parents and her husband Jim, and by her sisters, JoAnn Montgomery Carnevale, Miriam Montgomery Wright, and Rosalie Cameron Percifull Jakubowski, and brother David Cameron. She is survived by her older daughter Ann Mobley and son-in-law Robert, and grandsons David and Lucas Mobley; by her younger daughter Sally Withuhn and son-in-law Charles, and grandchildren JD Hart and Sarah Hart Morris, and granddaughter-by-marriage, Camille Withuhn; and by her son, Mike, and grandsons Dalton and Anthony Fitzgerald, and granddaughter-by-marriage, Katherine Sampson. She leaves three grandchildren-in-law, Maura Kurtz Mobley, Mike Morris, and Marissa Sivell, JD Hart's wife. In addition, she is survived by 8 great grandchildren so far: Mary, Maggie, Matthew, Jonathan and Josiah Mobley; Maya and Isaac Morris; and Elodie Hart, who lives in Australia with her parents. Her two brothers, Jack Montgomery, and his wife Lillian, and Mark Montgomery and his wife, Linda, all so survive her, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Last but not least, she leaves an 'almost-adopted' son, Cherd Viroonphun, who joined the family about 30 years ago as a result of Jim's work with the Southeast Asian community in Redding.

A memorial service will be held for Linda on Sunday afternoon, January 25, at 3:30 pm at Sun Oaks, 3452 Argyle Rd, Redding. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Linda's name to Friends of the Library, or a charity of your choice.

Please sign the guestbook at http://obits.redding.com

Published by Redding Record Searchlight on Jan. 21, 2015.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A

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Memories and Condolences
for Linda Fitzgerald

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I am so sorry I was not able to go to the memorial. A family emergency took me away from town, but I want the family to know how much I enjoyed driving Linda around to her appointments and shopping. It's been almost 10 years that once a week we'd be together and get to talk. I'd hear all about how the family was doing, she especially loved to talk about times with her grandchildren, and about the many fascinating things she'd done in her life. She had a great memory and I learned a lot about early Redding and the organizations where she was involved. Now whenever I drive by KIXE, Enterprise H.S., Shasta College, Sun Oaks, Rother or any of the doctors or shops we regularly visited, I think of her. Early on one of our stops became one of her favorites, Costco, because she could get a latte, and now that's one thing I look forward to when I go there. She was such a fun lady who impacted so many lives, I will truly miss her. My heart and prayers go out to you all.

Cindy Donarico

February 7, 2015

To the Mobley family. We are so sorry to hear of your loss. She was quite a woman. We wish we would have known her better. May your faith get you through this difficult time.

Dave and Judy Kurtz

January 25, 2015

I remember when my mother, Mildred Goodrich, and I would play tennis with Linda. She was so much fun. My heart goes out to you and your family.

Anna Grokenberger

January 24, 2015

our community has benefitted from Linda's contributions through the years. She will be missed.

Alice Montgomery

January 24, 2015

I am so very sorry for your loss. May the wonderful memories you have help to ease your pain.

Nancy Kurtz

January 21, 2015

Sanya Faizulaeva-Smith

January 21, 2015

Linda was a very caring person with a zest for life. Sorry for your loss, Anne!

Margaret Twombley

January 21, 2015

Wish I could have known your mother. She sounds lovely. Harry and I send our love to you at this time of sadness.

vernadine wetherell

January 21, 2015

Nice, nice lady, lots of memories, so sorry for your loss

Denise Wells

January 21, 2015

We remember fun times with Linda and Jim!

Mel/Joan Sullens

January 21, 2015

I met and came to know and love Linda through our water aerobics classes at Sun Oaks Tennis and Fitness. She loved hearing about my children-then in high school and college. I was amazed to learn that she had battled cancer and had not only survived it, but came through with her spirit intact. Her courageous, loving spirit shone through even when times were very tough for her. Linda, you are loved by so many. May you rest in peace!!

January 20, 2015

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