Robert Fitzgerald

1944 - 2025

Robert J. "Bob" Fitzgerald, Fitzy to friends, passed on Thursday June 19 at the age of 81. He was at home surrounded by the people who loved him, argued with him, and always came back for more. Born in Brooklyn NY to Rose (Crosby) and John Fitzgerald, Bob grew up with a love for jokes, practical or... not, and a stubborn attitude that could not be tamed (though many tried). He served in the U.S. Marines from 1964-1968, where he repaired F4 radar systems and made "thousands of gallons of Kool-Aid," making him both a patriot and possible contributor to the diabetic epidemic. After the Marines, Bob joined IBM for 31 years. He played important roles in the space program, the 1984 Olympics, and working through the evolution of computers from building-sized beasts to ones you could actually lose in your couch cushions. Bob didn't slow down when he retired, he just got better at refusing to schedule anything in advance. He traveled the world with the love of his life, Julie (Benadom), keeping current with the Long Beach crowd, sailing the high seas with the Seacats (Heeeyyyyyy), and even became a winemaker in Napa Valley. Yes, for several years Fitzy and Julie made delicious Cabernet Sauvignon which the family still fights over. Bob is now reunited with his parents, his brother John, his sister Julie (De Luca), and his first wife Velma, who are likely all rolling their eyes together at whatever he just said. He is survived by his adoring (and occasionally exasperated) wife of 29 years, Julie; his fabulous kids, Bob (& Kisa), Jules (& Ken), Donna (& Craig), Ken (& Misty), and Todd (worth two all by himself); his adorable sister Alice; his grandchildren Daisy Rose, Scott (& Sabrina), and Justin; his great-grandchild Amber; and a small army of nieces, nephews, cousins, and honorarily adopted family members he collected over the years. He loved them all. Fiercely. Loudly. Often with inappropriate jokes. He was a man who made friends everywhere he went and will be missed more than the TV remote when it's lost in the recliner. This past week we celebrated Bob's life with him, complete with wine, laughter, and stories that started with "You're not gonna believe this, but...". In lieu of flowers or casseroles, Bob requested donations be sent to support people who don't have the safety net he did. His favorite causes were the VA and local homeless shelters. He also highly recommended buying Girl Scout cookies, "Because everyone deserves Thin Mints. Many, many Thin Mints." Robert Fitzgerald