James Edward Fitzgerald

James Edward Fitzgerald, Topeka, passed away at the age of 102 at McCrite Plaza. James was born October 25, 1922, at the family farm home near Valencia, Kansas, the fourth son of nine children of Leslie T. and Lydia B. (Kresie) Fitzgerald.

James attended school at the West Union Grade School and graduated from Rossville High School. He received an agricultural engineering degree from Kansas State University in January, 1950.

James served in the U.S. Army Air Force in the Pacific during World War II.

James worked for ten years at the United States Air Force Depot in Pauline, Kansas, as a supply inspector until it closed in 1961. He then went to work for the U.S. Department of Agricultural Soil Conservation Service as an engineer in Atchison, Kansas, and in Eldorado, Kansas as an engineer and project engineer, building watershed dams on farms to control flooding. In 1971 James was transferred to Salina, Kansas and worked in the Soil Conservation Services State Office as a design engineer until he retired in July, 1979. He moved back to Topeka in 1982.

James was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Topeka. He was a life member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He belonged to the Maple Hill American Legion, Post No 156, and the VFW Post 1650, Topeka.

James loved to ballroom dance. He was involved in many hobbies which included a bluebird trail for 40 years, a collection of railroad date nails, and a good barbwire collection. He also had a large collection of Oregon Trail artifacts, which he donated to the Kansas Museum. He fished in the Kansas River, mainly for catfish, hunted coyotes and deer when in season. He was instrumental in making a farmland donation, along with his two sisters, of 93 acres to The Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism Department for Protection of Wildlife.

James married Carolyn Jean Kratochvil on October 13, 1962, at the First Presbyterian Church, Topeka. Survivors include nieces and nephews, and numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Carolyn, his parents, two sisters, Elizabeth (Betty) Petersen and Eleanor Vance, and six brothers Robert, Taylor, John, Calvin, Clair and Theodore (Ted) Fitzgerald.

A visitation will take place on Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 at Mount Hope Cemetery & Funeral Chapel, 4700 SW 17th St, Topeka, KS 66604, from 10:00-11:00AM, with funeral services beginning at 11:00AM. Interment with military honors will follow.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 817 SW Harrison St, Topeka, Kansas 66612.

The Funeral Service will be livestreamed, to view the service, please click here: James Fitzgerald Live Stream