William Fitzpatrick

FITZPATRICK William J. Fitzpatrick, Jr., son of the late William J. Fitzpatrick and Edith O'Hara Fitzpatrick and a decorated veteran of World War II, died peacefully on Memorial Day, May 28, 2012. Bill was 88 years old and is survived by his wife of 63 years, Eileen Foley Fitzpatrick. Bill is also survived by his four children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren-William III and Miriam Fitzpatrick and their sons Will and Kevin; Paul and Michelle Fitzpatrick and their daughters Alanna and Colleen; Alice Ann and Michael Bologna and their children Elizabeth, Michael, and Laura; Eileen and Dr. Joseph Fickes and their children Jacqueline, Megan, and Michael. He is also survived by his brother Robert H. Fitzpatrick and his wife Jane; his sisters Edith Louise Webb and her husband Ed, and Sister Gail Marie Fitzpatrick, O.C.S.O.; his sister-in-law Shirley Fitzpatrick; his cousin Mary Jane Fitzpatrick; and 22 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Mary Margaret Smith and his brother John T. Fitzpatrick. He was retired from his position as President of the Fitzpatrick Agency, Inc., founded by his father in 1919. For many years he had managed the insurance agency with his brother Bob. Bill's son Paul is the third generation to run the agency. Bill was a 1948 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross. He served in the South Pacific, Philippines, and Japan during World War II with 6th Army Headquarters and the 158th Regimental Combat Team, seeing action in New Guinea and at the invasion of Leyte. He was awarded the Bronze Star by Gen. Walter Krueger. Active in the Fairfield Democratic Party in the John Sullivan years of Town leadership, he was Treasurer of the Democratic Town Committee for 27 years, a member of the Board of Finance for 13 years, the last two as Chairman, Treasurer of the Town of Fairfield for 6 years, and Chairman of the Police Station Building Committee. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Eastern Fairfield County and a founding member of the Action for Bridgeport Community Development (ABCD). Bill was also active in his parish for many years, St. Thomas Aquinas in Fairfield. He was a member of the original Parish Council, served on the Parish Finance Committee for 6 years, and was a Lector for 25 years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus. Bill played and watched sports with enthusiasm. He loved the New York Giants and especially enjoyed the last game he saw, their victory in the 2012 Super Bowl; he was Grasmere School horseshoes champion in both seventh and eighth grades; the self-proclaimed family champion in horseshoes, tennis and ping-pong; and a strong competitor at charades and other family games at the Fitzpatrick family's Wild Rose beach house in Milford and Twin Lakes house in Salisbury, CT. He was acclaimed as "poet laureate" for his touching and amusing poetry to commemorate special family events, and is remembered as an excellent travel companion by his lifelong friends. But most of all, he enjoyed being with and doing things with his wife, his children and their spouses, and-as he described them-"ten perfect grandchildren." A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. meeting directly at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1719 Post Road, Fairfield. Interment with military honors will follow at Oak Lawn Cemetery. Friends may call Wednesday (Today) from 4-8 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield. Donations in memory of Bill should be made to Our Lady of Mississippi Abbey, 8400 Abbey Hill, Dubuque, IA 52003 or St. Thomas Aquinas Parish or School, 1719 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.