JOSEPH W. FITZGERALD

FITZGERALD, Joseph W. Of Norwood, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was 79 years old. Joe was the devoted husband of the late Carol (Dawson) Fitzgerald. Loving father of Mike Fitzgerald and his wife Kerri of Foxboro, Kate Kelley and her husband Colin of Norwood, and Tim Fitzgerald of Norwood. He was the loving and treasured grampa of Xavier, Elaina and Keira Kelley, and Cameron and Skylar Fitzgerald. Loving son of the late Joseph and Virginia Fitzgerald. Dear brother of Bob Fitzgerald and his wife Tina of Norwood and Dee Fitzgerald of Westwood. Dear brother-in-law of Diane and Jerry Collins of Elmira, NY and the late John Dawson. Dear uncle of Kara and Ted Fannon, Ryan Fitzgerald, Brent and Lauren Fitzgerald, Stephanie and Dan Bronk and Tracy and Chris Vaughn, as well as many great-nieces and nephews. He is also survived by many cherished, lifelong friends. Joe grew up in Roxbury and graduated from Christian High School in 1962. He went on to attend Mass Maritime Academy before pursuing his dream of becoming a writer. Joe interviewed at many newspapers before starting a job in St. Johnsbury, VT, where he would meet his beautiful wife, Carol. After marrying in 1966, they moved back to West Roxbury before ultimately settling in Norwood, where they built a life together. They loved spending time as a family and enjoying summers camping at Hermit Island, swimming in Mousam Lake, and taking yearly trips to Bermuda. Joe and Carol were married for forty-six years before her passing in 2012. Joe would always say one his greatest blessings in life was being "Grampa" and "Poppa" to his five beautiful grandchildren. He loved watching them play and getting to spend time with them. They brought him immense joy, especially after Carol's passing. Joe was a columnist at the Boston Herald for four decades and was passionate about his writing. What he enjoyed most were the people he met throughout his career, many of whom became lifelong friends. Joe also wrote six books throughout his career and was co-host of the show Sports Beat on channel 38 in Boston. He was a wonderful storyteller and never forgot a name or detail. One of the most important parts of Joe's life was his deep devotion to his faith. Some of his greatest memories were of his days at Christian High, Dudley Street Church, and nights spent at Singspiration. Joe and Carol both had a love for southern gospel music, and together they created the nonprofit, Meetinghouse Concerts. They looked forward to their trips each year to the National Quartet conventions in Kentucky. While Joe was most often known for what he did professionally, the people that knew him best knew that the three things most important to him were his family, his friends, and his faith. Joe would always say that he was blessed beyond measure. Joe's family would like to thank KP Poku, the staff at the Thomas Upham House, the staff at Traditions of Dedham and Gentiva Hospice for the love, kindness, and compassion you showed Joe. They are incredibly grateful for all the support you gave to Joe and his family over the last two years. Joe's Funeral Service will be from the Kraw-Kornack Funeral Home, 1248 Washington St., NORWOOD, Friday, March 15, at 9 a.m. Funeral Service at United Church of Norwood at 10 a.m. Visiting Hours Thursday, March 14, 2024, from 4 – 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joe's memory may be made to the Norwood Circle of Hope, PO Box 421, Norwood, MA 02062. Joe will be laid to rest with his beloved Carol at Highland Cemetery. Guestbook and other information at www.kraw-kornackfuneralhome.com