Robert F. Fitzgerald

Robert F. Fitzgerald, 95, of Yardley, PA, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully in his home on December 17, 2025, surrounded by his family and wife of 71 years.

Robert was born in Toledo, Ohio to Thomas and Margaret (Ferguson) Fitzgerald on June 3, 1930. He graduated from Catholic Central High School in Detroit, MI in 1948 and entered Michigan State University, which he left to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. After his military career in which served as an officer in Fairbanks, Alaska, he accepted a position as a salesman for the Paterson Parchment Paper Co. and then moved on to the Paper Corp. of the United States, which at his retirement he was president.

Bob shared 71 years with his beloved wife Donna, who he met in their hometown of Detroit, MI. They spent most of their life in Yardley, PA where their family of eight attended St. Ignatius Parish. Their family expanded to include 15 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. He was a man of deep faith, who often attended Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral which he could view from his office in Manhattan. One of Bob's greatest joys was being on the water, a love he developed as a boy with a small motorboat on the lakes of Michigan. He later spent summers with his family at Lake Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mountains, where he taught all the children to water ski. Bob loved having his growing family home for holidays, especially Christmas. He and Donna loved watching their children and grandchildren ripping through the piles of presents. To some it might have seemed chaos, but to Bob it was what family was all about.

Bob enjoyed playing golf, especially with Donna and his many friends who traveled to courses around the world, including the legendary Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.

He and Donna joined the Trenton Country Club, where Bob served on the board of directors.

In his retirement, Bob and Donna spent winters in their home in Indialantic, Florida and summers in Dolores, Colorado, where he loved hosting his children and grandchildren.

His spiritual devotion and Catholic Faith, which included daily Mass, was a steady presence throughout his life and guided the values he passed on to future generations.

He served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Indialantic, taking communion to the sick and homebound. In later years he attended Mass at the Poor Clares Monastery in Langhorne, which inspired him to become a Third Order Franciscan.

He is survived by his devoted wife Donna, and their children: Kathleen Fitzgerald, Bob Fitzgerald (Joanne), Maureen Fitzgerald (Michael Vitez), Barbara Shinkle (Kevin), Nancy Sheridan (Jim), and John Fitzgerald (Melissa). He was a proud grandfather to fifteen -Scott, Caitlin, Leigh, Rob, Sean, Tim, Sally, Jonathon, Julia, Callie, Nicole, James, Jasper, Ryan, and Jack-and a loving great-grandfather to sixteen.

The funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at 10:30am at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church 999 Reading Avenue Yardley, PA 19067. Interment will immediately follow at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery 1215 Super Highway Langhorne, PA 19047. Calling hours will be held on Friday, December 26, 2025, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at the FitzGerald-Sommer Funeral Home 17 S. Delaware Avenue Yardley, PA 19067, and again on Saturday morning from 9:30am to 10:15am at the church.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Poor Clares of the Franciscan Monastery of St. Clare 1271 Langhorne Newtown Road Langhorne, PA 9047. Condolences for the family can be left at www.fitzgeraldsommerfuneralhome.com.