Joseph John Fitzsimmons

1934 - 2024

Joseph John Fitzsimmons
Frankfort and Ann Arbor, MI
November 10, 1934 - October 18, 2024
Joseph Fitzsimmons passed away peacefully on October 18, 2024. Born on November 10, 1934, the only child of Frances Baume Fitzsimmons and Joseph A. Fitzsimmons in Newark, New Jersey. Joe lived a full life in which family and serving his community were his highest priorities. He was a loyal Michigan fan. He is survived by his wife, Beth Fitzsimmons; his son, Joseph J. Fitzsimmons (Julie); son, Michael Fitzsimmons (Hope Haefner); daughter, Patricia Brittain (Greg); daughter, Susan Weidlich (Thomas); son, Thomas Fitzsimmons; grandchildren, Amy, William, Erin, Kevin, Gregory, Kristin, Kyle, Chad, Jameson, and Dominik; and nine great grandchildren. He was married for thirty-eight years to Nancy Lind Fitzsimmons.
He married Beth Berglund Duston in 1996 and her children, Karin Getschow (Christian) and Kristina Magnusson (Robert), and grandchildren, Carolyn, Cynthia, Clara, Cori and Grace as well as one great grandchild became part of the Fitzsimmons family.
Joe was president of his class at Newark Academy, and then earned his degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1957 and joined the company that became Xerox Corporation, Rochester, N.Y.
Joe moved to Ann Arbor in 1966 to help develop a recent Xerox acquisition-University Microfilms (UMI). In 1976 Joe was appointed President and CEO of UMI and led the company to international prominence. It is now a major part of ProQuest.
Joe retired from UMI in 1995 and became active at both the local and regional level and as a second career he raised money for good causes. He also ran for US Congress in 1996. From 1999 to 2001, Joe served as CEO of Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW) and in that role was instrumental in helping non-profits deliver their services more efficiently and effectively. In 2001, his civic contributions were recognized when he and Judy Dow Rumelhart were named Ann Arbor Citizens of the Year, following their successful fundraising leadership for the Shelter Association's Delonis Center. In 2007, Joe received the Jewel Award for "Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser" for Southeast Michigan.
Joe served as President of the Information Industry Association and the Friends of Libraries USA. He was appointed by President Reagan and confirmed by the Senate to serve on the White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services in 1991.
The agencies that Joe provided his fundraising expertise include St. Louis Center, Washtenaw United Way's Tocqueville Society, American Red Cross, NEW Center, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor Hands on Museum, the Washtenaw Housing Alliance and also in a campaign to raise $3.5 million for the Oliver Art Center in Frankfort. After spending summers in Frankfort, Joe and Beth became residents of Frankfort in 2022.
Joe also served on over 25 corporate and non-profit boards, including the Bartech Group, First of America Bank (now PNC), St. Joseph Mercy Health System, Siena Heights University, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Dawn Farm, the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum where he was one of the founders, the Washtenaw Housing Alliance, the Ann Arbor Art Center and the Arbor Hospice Foundation.
Joe was also President of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor in 2003-2004. He provided his fundraising expertise and leadership in the Club's $1 million Centennial Project for the creation of a Universal Access Playground located in Gallup Park.
A special thank you to Paula and Patricia Carrier who worked as his loyal caregivers these last few years.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 from 5:00-8:00pm at The First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor - 608 E. William St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. A funeral service will take place on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 10:00am at The First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor. For those unable to attend the service in person, a livestream link will be available at the time of service on the church's website: www.fccannarbor.org/online-worship.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Shelter Association's Delonis Center at annarborshelter.org or by mail to Shelter Association of Washtenaw County - P.O. Box 7078, Ann Arbor, MI 48107; The First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor at fccannarbor.org or by mail: 608 E. William St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104; or the Oliver Art Center at oliverartcenterfrankfort.org or by mail to P.O. Box 1513, Frankfort MI, 49635.