Jasper W.T. Fitzgerald

Jasper W.T. Fitzgerald, son of the late Garfield and Charlotte Jeffries Fitzgerald was born July 31, 1930 in Mt. Airy, Virginia. He accepted Christ and joined the Mt. Airy Baptist Church at the age of 9 years old under the pastorate of Rev. H. L. Brooks. Jasper departed this life on November 5, 2021 at Christiana Care Hospital Wilmington, DE.
Jasper completed his secondary education in the Public School System in Virginia. Jasper attended the following schools of higher learning: Pierce Business College, Temple and Drexel Universities, both of Philadelphia, PA and completed his Bachelor of Science Degree from Neumann University in Aston, PA.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954 receiving an Honorable Discharge. He was employed at Grief Brothers in Twin Oaks, PA as a Quality Control Technician where he retired in 1996 after forty years.
Jasper was a faithful member of First Nazarene Baptist Church in Camden, NJ. for over twenty years under the leadership of Rev. J.A. Jones and Pastor Dyheim Watson, where he served as vice president of the Disciple Male Choir.
He was a former member of Central Baptist Church in Wilmington, DE under Dr. Reverend Terrence Keeling, where he was the minister of music for the Central Ensemble and the Male Chorus.
Jasper previously attended Tinley Temple Methodist U.A.M.E. Church in 1982 under Dr. Claude Edmonds. He served with the following ministries: The Gospel Chorus, the Senior Choir under the director of Theodore Thomas, directed and played for the Male Chorus. He also served with the Soup Kitchen Ministry under the direction of Dell Reed.
Jasper enjoyed life and was a devout lover of music. He played, directed and sang with the following:
• The Golden Sons, in Virginia
• The Junior Choir, Ever Ready Chorus and the Fairview Male Chorus of the First Baptist Church of Fairview in Woodlyn, PA.
• Ford Ensemble of Woodlyn, PA.
• Children and Young Adult Choirs of Calvary Baptist Church in Chester, PA.
• Male Chorus of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Twin Oaks, PA.
• Male Chorus of Shiloh Baptist Church in Wilmington, DE.
• The Shinning Star Gospel Singers of Philadelphia, under the management of Mrs. Ruth Ervin.
• The Goldenairs Gospel Singers of Woodlyn/Chester, PA.
• Carol Antrom's Choir annually in Philadelphia, PA.
• The Philadelphia Gospel Workshop, in Philadelphia, PA.
• Founder and Organizer of Travelers for Christ of the Tri-State area.
• Directed and played for First A.M.E. of Sharon Hill, PA.
Jasper was musically inclined and studied piano with Edwin Newberry, Anna Swain Clark, and Randy Cropper of Philadelphia, PA.
He also studied Piano and Organ with Dr. Milton Harris of Chester, PA
PROFESSIONAL WORK (Music):
• Jasper had a long-standing music career, he sung with Rev. James Cleveland's Gospel Music Workshop of America.
• Sung and recorded with the Dandridge Choral Ensemble of Philadelphia, PA under the direction of Mrs. Ann Swain Clark.
• He organized and named the Freedom Baptist Church of Chester, PA where he served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons.
• He sung with the Internationally Acclaimed Newberry Singers of Philadelphia, PA, who toured Europe and performed in Cathedrals and concert halls of France and Spain.
• Jasper also performed in Opera houses of Germany and Switzerland including the Princess Grace Theater in Monaco.
• He performed in various churches and Jazz festivals in America festivals including opening for Diane Reeves, Liz Mc Comb and Branford Marsalis.
JASPER LOVED THE LORD AND WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT HIS SALVATION!!
Jasper's life will continue to be lived through those who cherish his memory, devoted niece, Gail Pratcher (Sam); devoted nephews, McKinley Womack Jr. and Harold (Buck) Miller; devoted friend, Paul Kennedy (and the Kennedy family); a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors and friends.
Jasper was preceded in death by his is parents, Garfield and Charlotte Fitzgerald; siblings, Gladys Miller, Beatrice Barbour, Queen Esther Womack, Minnie Arnell Thompson; special niece, Margaret (Tot) Miller; Moses and Wade Fitzgerald.
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