Martin J. Fitzgerald Jr.

EAST MONTPELIER - Martin J. "Poody" Fitzgerald Jr., 80, died Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, at Central Vermont Medical Center, surrounded by his family.

He was born Feb. 14, 1933, in Barre, Vt., the son of Martin J. Fitzgerald Sr. and Agnes (Hamel) Fitzgerald.

He attended St. Michael's grade school and high school, graduating in the class of 1951.

He enlisted in the United States Army in 1952 and served during the Korean conflict as a hospital orderly in Germany until 1954. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army Reserve in 1962.

On July 1, 1961, he married Simone Marie Louise Tanguay at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Newport, Vt.

After returning from the Army, Martin was hired by his uncle, Stephen Mureta, initially as a stonecutter and then as a sandblast man at Montpelier Granite Works Inc. In 1968, he was given the opportunity to lease and operate the sandblast department. He started Capital Custom Sandblast Co. with his partner and friend, Olisse "Moose" Melada, which he ran until 1998. During this time his three sons all worked with him and the entire Mureta family, providing quality monuments throughout Vermont and the United States. His company, CCSB, continues to provide memorial setting, lettering and washing to the Vermont community.

Martin loved his wife, Simone, until the very end, and was not shy about letting anyone know how much he cared for her and valued their relationship. He was proud of his entire family and their accomplishments. He valued his faith in God, his immediate and extended family, education and all of his friends.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 792, the Canadian Club, and the Montpelier Elks Club. He also enjoyed camping, motorcycling, hunting and fishing with his family. Martin was an avid golfer; he took pride in his two holes-in-one, and cherished his time playing with family and his Tuesday golf group.

Survivors include his wife, Simone Fitzgerald, of East Montpelier; daughters, Louise F. Lynch and her husband, Christopher, of Colchester, Vt., Christina J. Fitzgerald, of Essex Junction, Vt., Laurie A. Daniels and her husband, Matthew, of Chatham, Mass.; sons, Matthew J. Fitzgerald and his wife, Kathleen, of Williston, Vt., Thomas J. Fitzgerald, of Sicklerville, N.J., Mark A. Fitzgerald and his wife, Wendy, of South Burlington, Vt.; grandchildren Meghan, Molly, Michael, Cameron, Kevin, Elise, Kiernan, William "Liam," Aly, Ashton, and Alex; great-grandchildren, Maddox and Mekynzi; step-grandchildren, Patrick, Connor and Brianna.

He was predeceased by a grandson, Gunnar Michael Schumacher, and his sister and brother-in-law, Judith and Walter Hatch.

Calling hours will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, at the Guare & Sons Funeral Home, 30 School St., Montpelier, Vt. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Committal prayers and interment are currently scheduled at 1 p.m. May 9, 2014, at Berlin Corners Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Vermont chapter of NAMI, 162 S. Main St., Waterbury, VT 05676.

Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at www.guareandsons.com.