William Michael Fitzgerald

William M. “Bill” Fitzgerald, 92, of Enfield, CT and Venice, FL and formerly of Longmeadow, MA, died on Sunday, July 23, 2023 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, with his family by his side.  He was born in Springfield, MA on September 29, 1930, the only surviving child of Maurice V. and Helen (Morgan) Fitzgerald.  An infant brother, Maurice, had predeceased him in 1926.  Bill attended elementary school in Ludlow (East Street) and Springfield (Holy Name), and high school at Cathedral and Technical, from where he graduated in 1949.  After working in various factories for a year, he entered American International College (AIC) in 1950.  In June of 1951, he left AIC, and worked at the Springfield Armory until he entered the Army, by invitation of President Truman, in February of 1952.  After completing sixteen weeks of infantry basic training at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania, he was appointed to the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) School at Fort Holabird, Maryland.  He was thereafter assigned to Tokyo, Japan, where he was a Special Agent in the CIC until his discharge from the Army in January of 1954, when he returned to his employment at the Armory.  In September of 1954, he entered the University of Massachusetts at Amherst; he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1957. He then enrolled in Boston University Law School.  In 1958, he married Anne Marie Flynn, of Chicopee, MA, and then attended the night division of Boston College Law School.  In 1959, he returned to Springfield, and continued his legal studies at Western New England Law School; he graduated with a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree, cum laude, and as President of his class, in 1962.  

He began his legal career in January of 1963 with the firm of Moynahan & Novak in Springfield.  He was thereafter a partner with the law firms of Allen, Cohen & Fitzgerald, and Murray, Fitzgerald, Sabella & Donahue, until his retirement from the private practice of law in 1994, when he became General Counsel to the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA), as well as a Staff Attorney with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department (HCSD). In 1998, he left the PVTA, and served as General Counsel to the HCSD until his retirement in 2013. 

He was a member of several professional, political, religious, and civic associations, and served as President of the Hampden County Bar Association, the Tuesday Club, the Springfield Exchange Club, the Holy Name Church Parish Council, and was Chairman of the Springfield Democratic Committee.  He was a member of the Ludlow, Elmcrest, Longmeadow, and Plantation (Florida) Country Clubs, and served on various Committees and Boards thereof.  He was a Life Member of the Springfield Lodge of Elks.  

In his younger days, he played baseball and basketball for the Forest Park Aces and Holy Name, and later played baseball at Tech and AIC, and for several other teams, including the Elks, Orange Café, WWLP, Six Corners, and with the CIC in Tokyo.  In the following years, he came to enjoy skiing, tennis, and loved playing golf as much as he did playing baseball, delighting in the friendly competition of the game and the camaraderie of those with whom he played.  His long-time playing companion, Albert Valentini, gave him the nickname, “Mr. Smooth” in recognition of his demeanor on and off the golf course.  He made four holes-in-one, and shot his age several times, which he attributed to sheer luck, and length of years, respectively. 

He was a fan of all sports, particularly any team of the University of Notre Dame, but primarily he just appreciated a well-played athletic performance in any sport.  He loved life, people, laughter, singing, an interesting conversation, and a well-poured cocktail.  From his mother, he learned a love of people and singing. From his father, he learned a love of sports, and the adage, “You have to take the bitter with the sweet.” He believed that everyone should have an appreciation for the arts, music, and literature, and that a life of achievement in commerce or other endeavors, but without the arts, music, and literature, was a life unfulfilled. He was a reader of history and biography, particularly the works of David McCullough, and always had a book of humor on his bedside table, usually authored by H. Allen Smith. 

His wife, Anne Marie, predeceased him in 1982.  In 1987, he married the former Patricia Ann Dunn, who survives him.  Both Anne Marie and Pat were beautiful women, who achieved greatly in their professions, which delighted him, Anne Marie as a nurse and then a teacher of nursing, and Pat as a teacher who obtained recognition on the state and national levels. They both provided him with homes filled with art and beauty, and often hosted magnificent parties.  They both also made sure that he was dressed with the cutting edge of men’s fashion, a status from which he did not shirk, but enjoyed.  

In addition to his wife, Pat, he is survived by five children: William Jr., David (Linda), Brian (Laura), Moira (James), Meghan (Andrew).  He was proud of all of them, their spouses, of their accomplishments, and of the esteem in which they were held by those who knew them.  He loved dearly his grandchildren, Caitlin Adamczyk (Brett), Kristin, Devin, Maggie, Hannah, John, Molly, Cecily, Owen, Maeve, Sarah, Ben (Heidi), and Marissa (Travis). He was blessed with his great-grandchildren, Griffin, Liam, Declan, Henry, Quinn and his nieces and nephews: Daniel (Fran), Megan (Daniel), Courtney and Tommy (Isabel).  He reveled in their growth, development, and successes, in educational, athletic, and professional venues, and otherwise in their progress through life.  He is also survived by his sisters and brothers-in-law: Kay Flynn, Patsy and Mike Mould and Tom and Elizabeth Dunn.

 A wake will be held at Curran Jones Funeral Home, 109 Main Street, West Springfield, on Thursday, July 27, 2023 from 4-7pm.  A Funeral Mass will take place at Sacred Heart Church, 395 Chestnut Street, Springfield on Friday, July 28, 2023 at 11am.  Those attending the Mass are asked to go directly to Sacred Heart Church.  The burial will be in Gate Of Heaven Cemetery, 421 Tinkham Road, Springfield.  In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Anne Marie Fitzgerald Scholarship Fund, Elms College, 291 Springfield Street, Chicopee, MA 01013 would be appreciated, or to another charitable beneficiary of one’s choice.  For online condolences, please visit www.curranjones.com