Bette Fitzgerald

Vesta Alice "Bette" Fitzgerald was born in Burlington, WA on August 22, 1925, to Clyde "Pat" and Florence (Schneider) Morton. Her sister, Patricia "Pat" Morton was born in 1921, owned the Short Stop Drive-in in Mount Vernon and passed on December 1, 1994. Bette's son, Patrick Charles Fitzgerald, died in 1995.
Bette attended nursing school at St. Luke's college, graduating in 1947. In 1949, she married Melvin Fitzgerald. They were the first couple to be married in the Burlington Lutheran Church. Bette has been a member of Salem Lutheran Church since 1958.
Melvin was a co-owner of Kern Funeral Home starting in 1958. Bette helped out in the mortuary in various ways, all while working part time as a nurse for Dr. Earl Cammock.
Bette is fondly remembered by many of "the Boys" or the lucky one who stopped by just at the right time for 3 o'clock coffee! Bette's memory for everyone's favorite coffee treat was encyclopedic.
Bette and Melvin had two children, daughter, Janice Lanier (Boyd) and son, Patrick C. Fitzgerald. Bette enjoyed spending time with her family on Samish Island and in Maui. When Melvin passed in 1996, "Grandma Bette" enjoyed raising her granddaughters, Sadie White (Daniel), and Patricia Kristofzski (Joseph). More recently, Bette was proud to be Great Grandma to Bryce Patrick White, the first boy to be born in Bette's family for 70 years.
Bette will be greatly missed by her daughter, two granddaughters and her great grandson as well as her dear friend and neighbor, Virginia Voigt.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Cancer Care, Salem Lutheran Church, a local pet shelter or a charity of your choice.
Vesta Alice "Bette" Fitzgerald passed away peacefully in the afternoon of October 4, 2025, listening to Psalm 121.
A Celebration of life will be held at Salem Lutheran Church on Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM. Bette has been laid to rest at Mount Vernon Cemetery with her husband Melvin and son Patrick. Arrangements are under the care of Kern Funeral Home, the funeral home Melvin and Bette owned for 30 plus years.