Kathleen Linda "Katie" Fitzgerald

Obituary of Kathleen Linda Fitzgerald
Kathleen Linda Fitzgerald
A bright light shines no more. Kathleen "Katie" Linda Fitzgerald unexpectedly passed away on October 6, 2025 in her home in Chicago, Illinois. The loss has stunned all who loved her, leaving many mourning and heartbroken at a world without Katie's vivacious and loving bright spirit, her laughter, her larger than life personality, her incredible work ethic and abiding commitment to serving clients and colleagues, and her love of her parents, sister, extended family, and friends earned over a life that has ended prematurely.
Katie was born on February 14, 1971 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the youngest daughter of Brian Fitzgerald, who predeceased her in death, and Linda Beard McDaniel, of Crawfordville, FL. She was a Valentine's baby, with beautiful aquamarine eyes and a happy smile. During the family's time in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, Katie learned very early on to climb out of her crib, and she had a fun time playing with her toys and growing up. The family soon moved to Tallahassee, Florida, where Katie attended Kate Sullivan Elementary School, Trinity Catholic School, and Lincoln High School, graduating from the latter in 1989. Katie had a very lively childhood and adolescence, surrounded by friends drawn to her animated, energetic demeanor, her contagious laughter, and her hilarious sense of humor.
After high school, Katie experienced community college coursework at Cocoa Beach Community College, Troy University in Montgomery, Bakersfield College, and Tallahassee Community College, and held professional roles of various types over the decade after high school until 1997, when she took on an operations role in the Executive Director's Office of the Florida Bar Association in Tallahassee and she started her ultimate lifelong career passion, association management. In her two years at the Florida Bar Association, she progressed from membership/finance to key support for executive-level governance functions, developing experience in board governance and related areas. She continued to grow and to develop her passion for elevating organizations through mission-driven leadership, innovative thinking, and a collaborative spirit, joining Tallahassee's Association Management Resources from 2000-2003, and again in 2007 – 2012, when she served as Director of Membership and Continuing Education. She hit major milestones for the company, such as increasing revenue and supporting the accreditation process.
While Katie was delivering a meaningful and clear professional impact in Florida, and she truly valued her time and proximity to family in Florida (and relatives in nearby Georgia and Alabama) she switched gears, moving to Chicago, IL to pursue a major career opportunity in her chosen profession. She had sold everything in Florida, packed up her car and her beloved corgi mix puppy, Winston, and staked it all on Chicago. Sadly, the opportunity did not pan out, and she spent several months looking for a new position. During this time period, Katie's tremendous resilience demonstrated her character, determination and grit. Her perseverance was rewarded and she secured a position as a Senior Administrator at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in their association management services division, where she worked until the summer of 2025 as that program was sunset. Katie had many successes and professional accomplishments at the American College of Surgeons, where she handled key client relationships in her portfolio that reflected major strategic partners for the ACS. During her time at ACS, her professional accomplishments included strategic oversight and operational support and revenue increases. One client noted that Katie's innovation, flexibility, and calm demeanor, along with her quick thinking and technical skills, rescued a situation after a registration site crash (and no central zed system as a data hub) put a major, large onsite conference at risk. They said that it was not lost that Katie works in Association Management, saw a need in the overall department, outside of her responsibilities, and brought a critical skill set and dedication to help ACS/CM succeed, a true leader who went above and beyond.
Katie's unparallelled ethos driven by customer service excellence garnered many similar compliments and kudos from clients, bosses and co-workers. Her individual drive emerged during her time at ACS, when Katie was determined to earn a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation. She ferociously pursued her studies for the exam, not only passing, and earning the CAE certification, but also earning a position of current service on the CAE Exam Committee. This was an important professional accomplishment for her, a major point of pride, and a concrete acknowledgment of her seasoned experience in association management over 15 years.
On July 7, 2025, Katie embarked on a new chapter with AMPED Association Management, where she served as an Associate Director. She embraced the professionalism and vision of AMPED, seeing an opportunity where she could thrive and grow. With her colleague, Elizabeth "Liz" O'Keefe, she excitedly set out for Wisconsin to join AMPED for onboarding and the company picnic. Katie was thrilled to join the AMPED family and was excited to know that her first client, the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA), would have its annual meeting in Rhode Island in Newport, a stone's throw away from Pawtucket where her father Brian and his siblings grew up.
In the midst of the excitement of her new position, glorying with her new AMPED swag and getting to know new colleagues, grief suddenly struck on August 5. Sadly, Katie and her sister dealt with a significant loss that day, with the passing of their father in Tallahassee. The two were with him when he passed away in hospice and joined friends and family for his funeral on August 29, 2025. Katie has served as a stalwart supporter and dedicated and loving daughter for both her mother and father these many years. In 2024 and 2025 especially, as Katie faced her own significant health issues, she provided incredible support at a distance for her father, serving as his healthcare power of attorney and later, personal representative and executor of his estate. She helped him to transition from his professional office space in fall 2023, shortly before his 80 birthday celebration, and then in late spring 2024, helped him to move out of his apartment and into new surroundings. She has been just as dedicated, supportive, loving and loyal to her mother Linda, and the two had spent two months together in Crawfordville, as Katie stayed there from her father's passing until her recent return to Chicago.
She is survived by mother Linda; sister, Colleen Fitzgerald, of Hempstead, NY; stepsister, Erin (Spencer) Woodham of Dothan, AL.; stepbrother, Roger Lee (Amy Huddleston) McDaniel of Jacksonville, FL through Linda's late husband, Roger McDaniel, Sr. and his former spouse (Eileen Lawrence McDaniel); as well as maternal aunt, Paula Kuniansky, and her husband Ray, of Tucker, GA, and son Marc (Rachel) Kuniansky; including paternal aunts, Claire Sweet and Mimi Leveille, both of Rhode Island and their respective children, Sharon (Barry) Fuller, Kathy Sweet, Ryan Leveille; Cheryl (Bryan) Whitford; and the surviving children of predeceased uncles on both side, cousins Maria De Cristoforo, John (Meg) Fitzgerald; Charlotte Fitzgerald, Jerry Beard, Jeannie Beard, Kay Beard (David) Augustin, and Kim Beard (Chris) Trout. Of great joy to Katie were her nieces and nephews, including Lauren, Emily, Natalie and Luke Woodham; Ellis and Sage McDaniel; and through Colleen's late spouse, Lee Anderson with his former spouse (Wendy Deishler of Big Sandy, TX), Nicholas Anderson and wife Voula and daughter Maha, and Caitlyn (Anderson) Hower and husband Brett. Katie had a large and loving extended family reflective of the modern American experience, a new workplace where people were glad to see her shining every time she crossed their paths, and she will be so very missed in the days and years and decades ahead.
In keeping with the vivacity with which she lived her life and loved her people, a joyful celebration of Katie's life will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Rd, Joliet, from 3:00 p.m. until the time of Celebration at 4:00 p.m.
The family has requested to live stream the services of their loved one on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. Please click on this link () and follow the instructions to show your support for them at a time when you cannot be physically present, but your thoughts, prayers and connection are.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Interstitial Cystitis Association. Memorial donations can be made through their (or by going to and clicking on "Donate" at the top of the page). When donating, please select "Dedicate this gift" and indicate that it is in Katie's memory. Alternatively, checks can be mailed to the ICA at 388 S. Main St., Ste. 440-#157, Akron, OH 44311, with a note about the dedication.
Fore more information please call 815-741-5500 or visit her Memorial Tribute page at www.fredcdames.com where you can share a favorite memory or leave an online condolence.