Jean Helen Fitzpatrick

Remembering the life of Jean Helen Fitzpatrick (Oma)
Early Life
Jean was born Jean Helen Fitzpatrick on October 26, 1927, to Raymond A Fitzpatrick and Elizabeth Becker in Bronx, New York. She was the second daughter to Elizabeth and sister of Eleanor. Jean lost her father at an early age and grew up during the Great Depression, where the hardships of the times did not skip over a single mother and her two daughters. Those times molded Jean's values and relationships to focus on God, family, and friends.
As a young lady, she completed her GED early and left school to join the workforce to help support the family. Her first employer was AT&T as a long-distance switchboard operator, and she retold many stories of her time there. Most memorable were the stories of young wives being notified of the passing of their deployed husbands during WWII and being on the lines as Castro came down the mountains to liberate Cuba.
Before Marriage
During the war, Jean would travel by train or bus from work to home and then out to the city again to dance with soldiers on short leaves. Many young ladies would serve our country in various ways and our Jean was among them. She always said,
"A proper lady never went out without her lipstick on."
Out of the Bronx and to White Plains NY, Jean moved into a small apartment with three other girls as her roommates. There she worked at AT&T Hamilton Avenue office continuing as a long-distance switchboard operator.
For spring break, Jean and her roommates decided to drive down to Miami. Jean borrowed her stepfather's car, and the young girls set out on their adventure. Taking turns driving, Jean took the wheel in Virginia and strolled into North Carolina. As she was driving through a small town, a city utility truck pulled out in front of her, causing an accident. The car was totaled, and they were stuck in a small town with help a day's drive away. Remember, at this time interstate 95 had not been built so driving through small towns added to the length of the trip. A trooper stationed in the area arrived and started investigating the incident. Being from New York and understanding small-town southern politics of the time, he knew Jean was not going to get a fair trial, so he took the girls under his wing and guided them through the process. Jean was not at fault, but that did not stop the judge from blaming Jean for the accident. As she described, "I walked into the courthouse with a bloody forehead, and it was like a scene out of a movie. The old southern judge opened the record books, blew off the dust, and began scribing the incident as he perceived it. As he spoke while writing, "Jean H Fitzpatrick operating the car collided with the utility truck causing damage beyond repair to both vehicles. You are fined $25.00. Upon payment to the county clerk, you are free to go." Jean knew this was unfair and was about to speak up in her defense. The trooper knew better and placed his hand on Jean's shoulder as he thanked the Judge and guided the girls out of the courtroom. Later, he would explain that they were not going to win in any fashion and that the $25.00 judgment was the best outcome. The trooper took the girls over to a hotel, and Jean's stepfather picked up the girls the next day to take them home.
Jean met the love of her life by way of a mutual friend. While Jean was working for AT&T in White Plains NY, she befriended a lady by the name of Josie San Marco and became fast work friends. Josie was always insisting that Jean meet her brother, Jim, because she thought they would make a great couple. Jean finally agreed and set up a time to have coffee with Josie at a local diner where she would be introduced to Jim. Josie and Jean met up at 8 pm, where they sipped on coffee and talked about their day. Josie continued to describe her brother as a tall, slender 6', dark hair, mustache, and good-looking. Jean was
unsure of who she was looking for, but she kept an eye on the door as customers entered and exited the diner. One gentleman walked in and immediately caught Jean's eye, in which she said, "Now he can put his shoes under my bed any day." Josie turned to see who it was and started to wave the gentleman over. The gentleman came over, and Josie said, "Jean, I would like you to meet my brother, Jim." Jean was so embarrassed that she wanted to crawl under the table, but after a couple of cups of coffee and some great conversation, Jim escorted Jean home. There he asked her out the following Saturday, starting the beginning of a beautiful romance. Later in life, Jean would go on to share that the coffee cup and saucer charm on her bracelet has the inscription "1956 Josie" to commemorate the day they first met.
Marriage
With their eyes set on having a big family, Jean and her husband moved out of their small apartment to their new home in Peekskill, NY.
Jean and Jim had their first child, James Alexander, born May 1959. Then came her first daughter, Lori Jean Nov 1962. Her second daughter Bonnie Aileen Jan 1964. Finally, her last son, Kevin Fitzpatrick, was born Sept 1969.
The house in Peekskill was a great launching pad for all the events they did as a family. During this time, Jean was primarily a stay-at-home mom where she took care of the family and the house.
Being at home with four kids can be pretty demanding, especially on a rainy day, but the house and Jean's imagination provide plenty of entertainment. The split-level layout provided the perfect foundation. One favorite memory for the children was using the banister as a fishing pier. Jean had the kids use fishing poles to hang the lines over the banister. As the kids were playing, she would jiggle the poles and become excited that there was something on the end of the line. Somehow, to the kids' astonishment, Jean was able to hook bags of snacks and treats to the end of the line. This became a huge hit when the kids had friends over.
The split-level house also provided the perfect cover for covert ops. At night, when the kids were sent to bed, this was downtime when Jean and Jim could relax and enjoy some TV. The kids would crawl out on their bellies to the edge of the landing to watch some TV. When Jean or Jim announced they were going to bed, the kids would crawl back into their rooms and snicker at their masterful deception. Later in life, Jean pointed out to the kids, "Remember the large mirror at the top of the stairs, we used to watch you kids sneak out and sneak back into your rooms."
Boating became a large part of the family recreation. Jean and Jim had a joint passion for the outdoors and boating. The first boat was an 18' Grady White, and as all you boaters understand, this only grew over the years. As the family grew, the boat grew, ending with a 30' fiberglass cabin cruiser. The boats were very useful as there were many a night that we went up and down the Hudson River to soothe their firstborn daughters' tummy. They spent their summers on the boat and winters at home. Jean always being creative and inventive found ways to keep the kids occupied and fed. She made activity boxes that were kept on the boat when the weather was bad or when traveling to a different location. Imagine feeding a family of 5 with just a small icebox, but she had her ways; they never went without. Way before the time of snack boxes mom already had it all figured out by always having a stock of baggies full of fruit loops, lucky charms fruit, etc. We always had an abundance of healthy snacks. Jean always had an act of challenging our minds and creativity.
The family decided that it was time for a change in scenery and pulled up roots to move to Brooksville, FL. This required the renting of a Ryder truck, packing, and the long drive down to FL. Jean liked to drive, but over long distances, she left that to Jim. Now, she had to drive our van, 3-speed on the column, behind Jim driving the moving truck. Her job was to stick to the tail of the truck and work as a team maneuvering the truck down Interstate 95 through New Jersey, Philly, and DC. Jean drove like a master, keeping to the back of the moving truck and providing Jim guidance along the way. In doing so, she also kept the kids entertained by singing songs, playing driving games, and always asking questions to the kids about what they thought Florida was going to be like. Florida provided a whole new set of outdoor adventures. The abundance of water activities and canoeing on the Withlacoochee became the first favorite family outing. Next was the family's dive into sailing with the purchase of a Hobie Cat. Saturdays became a fun beach day with an early departure; it was always an early departure, to Dunedin Beach and a full day of canoeing and sailing. Each time Jim would take care of all the equipment, and Jean would take care of all the food and refreshments. One favorite memory was Jean cooking SPAM and eggs for a morning breakfast. The aroma covered the beach like a low-lying fog and attracted the attention of all the early-morning beachgoers.
Vacationing at John Pennekamp in Key Largo became a short-lived annual vacation destination but a memorable one. It was the family's first step back into power boating, and the perfect place to have a boat. Jean loved the water, and the national underwater park was a breathtaking experience for Jean and the family.
As Jean's youngest moved into grade school, Jean had an itching to go back to work. So, wanting to be close to the kids and have a job she enjoyed with people she enjoyed being around, Jean landed in the school system with the food service. She enjoyed her coworkers, but the biggest satisfaction was from the children. Jean loved the children and loved being out among them. She would always talk about running the food carts out in the auditorium where she was around the kids. She loved the interaction, conversations, and relationships with the students she built over the years. Recently, while she was recovering from the stroke, the family of a patient nearby recognized Jean. They were not sure who she was, but the mention of her time at the middle school brought back memories. They shared how they remember her and how she touched their life.
Children
Jean and her husband loved being involved with the community. First started in the bowling league, then with the Peekskill Power Squadron, the Lions Club, and church, but the most rewarding was being involved with the community when it centered around their four Kids.
Scouting was a favorite pastime for the family. Jim and Jean became scout leaders for their son and daughters during those teenage years. Jean guided the girls through lots of activities providing opportunities to build the girls' skills, growth, and maturity. One favorite activity was entering the troop into the Fantasy of Trees held every year during Christmas. The group would meet and decide on the theme for the tree or trees that year. They would enter the registration as a group and start the process of creating the tree. Each week the troop would meet at the house with Jean providing snacks and, using her artistic skill, develop decorations and ornaments that the troop could create. The rule for the troop was everything had to be handcrafted. The work and effort paid off as the troop won many awards for the best-crafted tree.
Athletics were a big part of the family, and the same leadership they provided in scouting was resurfaced in athletics as well. There was never a time that Jean or Jim stood on the sidelines and let others carry the load. They dove in and helped with their kids' events any way they could. From being part of the Leopards club to filming the football games to officiating events, nothing was off the board as long as it was helping to provide a better experience for the kids. The best memory was traveling to track meets. Jim and Jean purchased a 26' camper and would set up in the stadium parking lot. Of course, Jean had plenty of food and drinks for anyone who wanted to stop by. Over time, we became great friends with coaches and officials as they would stop by for a bite, drink, and great conversation. One coach from Titusville found his way over to our group through
the mutual love of onion dip. Soon, Jean was making a special bowl of onion dip just for the Titusville coach when we knew we would see them.
The biggest enjoyment for Jean and Jim was guiding their kids from children to young adults and into productive members of society. The achievements were celebrated with family and friends on every occasion. The recipe was fairly simple, great food with great people made for a memorable time and that happened often.
Post Marriage
After her husband passed away on May 6th, 1996, Jean started the process of rebuilding her life without her husband and the recent passing of her mother. Her first step was getting back involved with the community as a volunteer at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. She served four priests during her tenure and always shared stories from her experiences at the church. Her favorite time was Christmas, and she would love to attend the Christmas Eve mass. She would light a candle for Jim her husband and Betty her mother. It was important to her, and Jean felt a solid connection with the Lord at this time.
Her strong faith came in handy as Jean was diagnosed with breast cancer. With the recent death of her husband due to cancer, she was shaken by the diagnosis. Her daughter reassured her that God was looking over her, it was not her time to
go, and the diagnosis was not as severe as dad's. In no time, Jean was done with her treatment and ringing the survivor bell on her way out to enjoy a celebratory, you guessed it, glass of wine.
Jean loved lighthouses. She enjoyed traveling around visiting, learning about, and climbing the lighthouse. After the passing of her husband, the kids decided to celebrate Jean's birthday by selecting a destination that included a visit to a lighthouse. From the time she was 70 to her 96th birthday, Jean visited and climbed lighthouses all up and down the East Coast. Her final lighthouse climb was the Pensacola Lighthouse, the second tallest in the state of Florida. On a beautiful day in October 2023, Jean climbed 177 steps to the top of the lighthouse. Once there, she stayed for an hour looking out over Pensacola Bay,
Fort Pickens, and out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Wine? Why Not? Along with family, being social, and enjoying meeting people, Jean loved a nice glass of wine or a cold beer. As she got older, her patience grew short when waiting for a glass of wine or a cold beer. As she would say, "com'on I'm not getting any younger, you know." A favorite memory of her youngest was around a case of wine. Kevin ordered a case of wine from the famous Italian chef Libero's winery in the Tuscany providence of Italy. The case of wine was given to her as a Christmas gift and a couple of bottles were consumed during the Christmas dinner. Later, Kevin leaned into Jean's ear and whispered, "We can have a few bottles when I come back in a couple of months." Jean agreed and expressed her excitement for his return. Upon his return, Kevin went into Jean's closet to retrieve the wine. To his surprise, all he pulled out was
common bottles of wine from the grocery store. "Mom," Kevin cried out, "what happened to the wine?" "I don't know," Jean replied sheepishly, "there was a hole in the bottle, and you were gone for too long."
There was a story about Jean and Mother Nature. One weekend, which happened to be Jean and Jim's anniversary weekend, the Boy Scouts were holding an annual jamboree. All of the troop's scoutmasters started teasing Jim about being in the doghouse with his wife. Jean got wind of the teasing and in front of all the scoutmasters proclaimed they would have wind, rain, hail, and snow during the jamboree. Sure enough, that night on their anniversary, the wind picked up, and down the mountain came rain, hail, and snow. After that, she was known as Mother Nature to the scoutmasters. Fast forward 30+ years to 2004 and hurricane Charley was turning out over the Gulf with a direct path over Brooksville. Her oldest son, Jim, called and convinced Jean to join him 80 miles east in Orlando until the hurricane passed. Jean agreed and started the two-hour trek. As she was moving east, hurricane Charley's path moved from over Brooksville to right over Jim's house in Winter Park. Again, earning the name, Mother Nature and, now, Hurricane Magnet.
Jean was blessed with a grandchild in May of 1999. Tyler Ashley was born to Kevin and Norma Jean. The joy on Jean's face could not be hidden from plain sight as she looked forward to time with her granddaughter. Jean was able to be present at Tyler's birth as she prayed with the rosary from the back seat of the car as Kevin rushed to the hospital on Memorial Day.
There are numerous stories about Jean and her granddaughter, most of which have been shared with many of you over the years. One favorite story centered around a stroll in the neighborhood with Norma Jean right after Tyler was born. Norma Jean and Oma (Jean's grandparent name) took Tyler for a walk around the neighborhood in the stroller. As Norma Jean was pushing the stroller up a slight hill, Norma Jean asked Oma if she wanted to push the stroller. Without a word or hesitation, Jean's excitement hip-checked Norma Jean over and took off with the stroller. After a few minutes, Jean looked back at Norma Jean and said, "Come on, girl, hurry up." To which Norma Jean replied, "Oma!!! I just had a baby." The excitement was too much for Oma to slow down.
Jean attended birthdays, school/sporting events, and holidays with Tyler, creating a grandparent and granddaughter bond. From the first time Jean saw her granddaughter, she always said to her, "Always in my heart." That was never truer than when Tyler was offered an internship with Florida Cracker in Brooksville. The opportunity was a perfect time for Tyler and Oma to bond more. Tyler would spend her days working and nights with Oma. On her days off, they would go shopping, visit museums, and attend live concerts at the local Brooksville winery. Tyler would come home to Oma who would ask, "Would you like a glass of wine?" "Of course!" Tyler would reply, "Just let me jump into the shower." When Tyler would come out, Jean would be standing there with two glasses and a bottle of her favorite red or white.
Jean always had lots of friends and would spend a lot of time visiting or calling them. Her good friend Kathy, who became her neighbor, met while Jean was walking at Tom Varn Park. They struck a friendship that lasted 25 years. Kathy and Jean spent many a day swimming at the pool or sitting downstairs enjoying, you guessed it, a glass of wine or a beer. Kathy watched over Jean and was such a good friend that she became a part of our family. Jean also became friends with family members of her kids' friends. One was Mrs. Foster who had four kids of her own. Jean loved to attend ceramic classes with Mrs. Foster and enjoy time with her and creating art. Jean also befriended another of her kids' friends, Mike Lovelock. Mike and his business partner, Carol, became financial advisers for Jean, but they also befriended her and watched over her. She would call Mike, and as soon as he answered the phone, on the other end, he would hear, "Mike, are we making money?" Without hesitating, he would respond, "Yes, Mrs. Fitz, we are making money." Just recently, Carol shared with us that shortly after Mike passed
away, Jean would call Carol each week just to check on her and chat for a little while. That lasted up to this past fall.
Jean was a passionate, caring, and loving individual who was always looking out for her family and friends. Her relationships were cherished and were the cornerstone of her life. She leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered and honored for years to come. May she rest in peace knowing that she has touched the lives of many and has left the world a better place than when she found it.